How to Protect Young Plants Sensitive to Sunlight

[wbpdeer]

When you start out and learn what works for one type of seedling or plant you quickly find out that other plants have their own needs.

Allegheny Chinkapin is an understory or edge of the field plant. I stuck three in the yard so I would be able to collect future nuts easily.

Then the sun began to educate me - luckily I was paying attention.

I had already put 3 ft wire around them to keep the rabbits off of them. I put burlap over half of the wire.
The photo will show what I am referring to.
Thanks for reading this thread.

 

[wbpdeer]

Protective Cage with Burlap
In this photo you see a protective cage I built to keep squirrels off my chestnuts & DCO. I added a burlap shade cloth and the plants responded very well.
In heat index warnings the burlap helps conserve moisture.
The view is the backside of the cage away from the doors.

 

[Turkey Creek]

You can buy shade cloth from many sources, generally they also have some scrap sections that can be had relatively cheap. I would be worried that burlap might be too dense and restrict too much light and airflow.

 

[wbpdeer]

For me the burlap was given to me - hard to beat free. I leave about 45 % of the circumference uncovered to guarantee air flow on the individual hoods. What I have protected with it has responded well. I appreciate your caution and I will watch the plants to see if have any issues. I am protecting AC and DCO with it and have two protective cages covered with it that have Chestnuts, Sawtooth and DCO and Benton Harbor Chestnuts.
The protective cages will get emptied of their plants as they will be moved to the greenhouse. I have a bad tooth that has stopped all work for me until I get to a dentist.
Turkey Creek - thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[Brushpile]

Once acclimated AC will grow in Full Sun, but likes partial shade, making it a good companion plant for Chestnut.

 

[wbpdeer]

Once acclimated AC will grow in Full Sun, but likes partial shade, making it a good companion plant for Chestnut.

Folks I have Allegheny Chinkapin because Brushpile send me nuts off his trees. I am thankful for his generosity! It will be fun when mine start to bear so I can pass it own to other beginners like I was. That is the fun part.