Girdling trees with stretchy garden tape.

[catscratch]

Checked on my fruit trees recently and noticed my garden tape was starting to cause problems. Most of the problems came from where I had tied limbs down for better crotch angles. When I had tied them down I assumed the stretchy ribbon would either stretch or break as the tree grew. Nope.<br />

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[dogdoc]

They will do fine--that's not bad. That stuff is suppose to not girdle but I have had to remove it also. I still use it to tie down limbs or add some vertical support for new seedlings but I now tie a large loop so it won't constrict.

good advise and the angles look great on that apple tree.
todd

 

[catscratch]

Thanks. The crabs took the angles very well. The pears took the angle to where the tape was, then turned straight up. Lol, made for some goofy looking limbs.

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[dogdoc]

Thanks. The crabs took the angles very well. The pears took the angle to where the tape was, then turned straight up. Lol, made for some goofy looking limbs.

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Pears do that. Pain to train them. I gave up and just let my pears do what they want.

 

[buckdeer1]

I use ag lock or arbor tape that is a polyester tape that doesn't harm the bark

 

[buckdeer1]

I have also seen the spiral trunk guard girdle trees

 

[Fish]

Ive seen much worse than that using the garden tape for grafting. Good thing you got it when you did though. One more growing season and you would have some real constriction. Great reminder.
I mark a lot of seedlings with flagging tape and fight to get it off a couple years down the road.

 

[catscratch]

The more I mess with habitat, the more I realize there is no plant it and leave it scenario. Got to mindful of even the littlest things at all times.
I agree, one more growing season would have made problems.

 

[Hunter_Dan]

I'm also a fan of Ag-Lok . Great tool for supporting trees and you would really have to leave it a long time to girdle. Not sure it'd be great for that application though.

I left some labels on a tree once after planting. I came back a few weeks later and they were severely constricting the trunk. Bottom line - use large loops and a bunch of open space to ensure you don't get burned.