Cap'n
Active Member
Oklahoma was hit with the worst ice storm in its history in the last week of Oct. I went without electricity for 9 days in OKC and was scared that my seedlings, 80 miles away we’re going to be demolished. The tree damage to Post oak and Blackjack and ERC was incredible. But when I went to check out my little trees they were doing great. No problems at all. Still just as green and even the new growth was green. I was pleasantly surprised. No broken branches or mains.
So as much as i have complained about tree tubes and have made plans to remove all of them, I’ll have to say that they no doubt saved the day with this ice storm.
I’m still going to remove them though. That’s the worst storm In 116 years so I thing I’m good. Right ?
I did a comparison with some post oaks, in tubes and out. The trees in tubes were very flimsy and needed stakes until they were 5 ft tall. The ones with out tubes were 10 “ seedlings staked with old 31 inch 2216 arrows ...The stakes were removed 2-3 years ago and the difference in the caliper of the trunk is impressive. They did receive some ice damage too, but are in far better shape to recover than the tubed trees. This may not be the same with any other trees. I went with PO because they are native to this land and I’m hacking and squirting the junk trees and replacing them with what God had intended.
I also think grasshoppers and catapillers love the protection a tube provides.
Im using my old tubes , cutting the tubes in half and direct seeding into the shortend tubes. Once they are out of the tube the tube will be removed and the tree will be fenced and probably staked.
So as much as i have complained about tree tubes and have made plans to remove all of them, I’ll have to say that they no doubt saved the day with this ice storm.
I’m still going to remove them though. That’s the worst storm In 116 years so I thing I’m good. Right ?
I did a comparison with some post oaks, in tubes and out. The trees in tubes were very flimsy and needed stakes until they were 5 ft tall. The ones with out tubes were 10 “ seedlings staked with old 31 inch 2216 arrows ...The stakes were removed 2-3 years ago and the difference in the caliper of the trunk is impressive. They did receive some ice damage too, but are in far better shape to recover than the tubed trees. This may not be the same with any other trees. I went with PO because they are native to this land and I’m hacking and squirting the junk trees and replacing them with what God had intended.
I also think grasshoppers and catapillers love the protection a tube provides.
Im using my old tubes , cutting the tubes in half and direct seeding into the shortend tubes. Once they are out of the tube the tube will be removed and the tree will be fenced and probably staked.
