Tree guard killed trees

[Hunter]

I have recently acquired a small woodland which has been neglected for long time. Part of the wood has been planted with Larch trees. Few of the trees managed to grow and the majority are either dead or half dead. They have been all protected with square kind of tree guard.

Close inspection confirmed that the tree guards has been filled with mud and dead leaves over long time and caused tree stem to rot.

See pictures.

[Hunter]

Pictures

[Hunter]

Another one

[Hunter]

Most are dead

[7610]

The tree guards haven't killed the trees, the previous custodians did.

[TGB]

Recently started looking after a small orchard, where a few of the trees had guards on, long after they should have been removed. Damage was mostly down to the trees starting to grow over the guards. With some build-up of rotted leaf matter. I just removed the guards and cleaned off the earth. None of the trees were badly damaged in this case. Perhaps you should clean the trees down around the guards. If the stems are bad, might as well take them out now; if they're not that bad, leave them and see what happens.

[Will Heal]

These guards have been left on a little too long as well I think.

Best advice in the last post. All you can do is remove them and give the trees a chance to sort themselves out

 

 

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[Hunter]

Thanks for advice, I have removed all guards and cleaned the mud around the trees but sadly over 75% of the trees are dead.

[matelot]

on the bright side it looks like your wood still has a reasonable planting density? your first photograph showed trees at sub 1m spacing?

 

tbh, I like leaving the guards on as I like seeing the tree burst out and break the guard I've seen some of my trees with the moss round them (as your photograph 3), but I don't think it's killed any of my trees.

[miker]

These guards have been left on a little too long as well I think.

Best advice in the last post. All you can do is remove them and give the trees a chance to sort themselves out

 

 

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