Plastic tree guards/tubes etc

[Jerome]

Sheep, hares and the occasional Deer can have a go at the trees. The main issue is that sheep like to scratch, and will lean into the tree with all their weight and loosen the trees,this can also knock off tree guards. I prune off any branch that grows under 5 foot and I have tried various other methods such as painting the trees with paint and watered down manure to keep the sheep away. In general they don't pass much heed but every now and then some bastard will decide to strip trees and eat any bark they can get. I also have about 350 apple/pear trees that I bought over the last two years and the sheep always try to get these trees. One ram lamb got into them yesterday and stripped a load of trees that I keep in a protected area. That lamb is going to the factory tomorrow. I have wrapped the trees in black plastic which can save the tree, so hopefully.

 

This is one of the smaller trees with two of the wrap around tree guards which is what I would like on all trees.

 

[Jerome]

Also these brown wrap-around tree guards are great, very strong plastic. I bought light clear plastic ones last year and they are too flimsy as the sheep will just take them off when scratching

Edited August 19, 2019 by Jerome

[Jerome]

On another note, earlier today when cutting wood I noticed this heart pattern. It first for about 8 inches through the wood.

[nemcc]

Have taken off thousands of 4ft tubex tubes.

1 woodland management agent asks for them to be left at the end of the racks to be collected by the keepers. Which the were not so just blown around the woods.?

 

Another agent wanted me to burn them ? no thanks.

 

And another wants the young 5 to 10 year old ash cut to replant and says just cut through the tubes and leave the on the ground ?.

 

And these guys went to university to lean about woodland management.......I despair 

 

 

[Jerome]

3 hours ago, nemcc said:

Have taken off thousands of 4ft tubex tubes.

1 woodland management agent asks for them to be left at the end of the racks to be collected by the keepers. Which the were not so just blown around the woods.?

 

Another agent wanted me to burn them ? no thanks.

 

And another wants the young 5 to 10 year old ash cut to replant and says just cut through the tubes and leave the on the ground ?.

 

And these guys went to university to lean about woodland management.......I despair 

 

 

And then there are gimps like me paying thousands for tree guards hmmmmmmmm 

[nemcc]

Indeed. 

No wolves = too many deer

No hunting = more hares etc( God those saplings taste nice)

Cardboard is the way,  just got to last a decade .... 

 

[nemcc]

 97 thousand  planted one one estate alone last season 15 thou on another. 

Planting November to March = lots of plastic. 

Morals or mortgage? 

 

[difflock]

But assuming wind or birds do not carry them off-site and into a watercourse, surely they will eventually degrade back into the environment, assuming they are not made to the same degradation proof standards as Wavin sewerpipe.

In the greater scheme of things there is always something to eat anything.

[nemcc]

If you're hungry enough yep.

 

[Stere]

But they reckon mircoplastic may be harmful:

 

Quote

“For example, new studies indicate that microplastics in the soil can be harmful to and even kill earthworms in the soil.”

 

The hills are alive with the signs of plastic: even Swiss mountains are polluted | Environment | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Major study finds microplastics in soil across Switzerland and scientists warn urgent research is needed into impacts on...