Can anyone help me? I planted two bare root apple trees last spring aprox. 6 ft tall. They both did well over the summer, but I fear loosing them this winter. I live in NW Minnesota with very harsh winters. I would appreciate any suggestions on how I might help them survive.

-- Del (dgrinolds@gvtel.com), November 11, 2000

Answers

Del, I don't have alot of experience yet with such. Just planted mine two years ago. There is a nursery in the Adirondaks of New York (zone 3). They specialize in northern climate fruit and nut trees. Their catalogue is helpful, and free. The address is St. Lawrence Nurseries, 325 State Hwy 345, Potsdam, NY 13676. The phone number is (315) 265-6739. E-mail -is trees@sln.potsdam.ny.us. I think that you can find their webpage with that address too. One thing they stress is that if it wasn't grown in your zone ( or reasonably close) it will always have problems with your climate. I'm sure they can answer your query better than I.

-- Ed Weaver (edzreal@postmaster.co.uk), November 11, 2000.

I suggest wrapping the trunks in something rabbit and mouse-proof. Some people use tinfoil for this, but the mice at least can chew right through and have ruined a few of my apple trees, girdling them completely. I'm putting out mothballs and red pepper around the trunks this year, and I have each one of the young apple trees in spiral-wrap white plastic to prevent sun scald. A 'nice person' peeled the wraps off some of my trees last spring and they got sunscald and died. Don't put straw mulch around the stems as this encourages the vermin too. If you planted winter-hardy varieties for your area, you should do just fine. I'm in northern Wisc.and the only fatalities my young trees have suffered are the rodents and sunscald.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), November 11, 2000.

I planted 10 apple trees -2yrs ago and have had very good luck with them but we are only in zone 7! I know it's nothing like the winters up there--I took black 4" drain pipe (drilled hole in it so the water would drain)cut it lenght wise and placed it around the trunks of our apple trees--this keeps the mice,rabbits and deer from chewing on the bark! We had 26" of snow last Feb. and it stayed around for over 2 weeks and they were beautiful this summer.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), November 11, 2000.

Thanks for the help! Julie I had considered mulch but will not now. Debbie I think I'll try cutting the pipe and putting around the trees. Ed I'll check out that address.

-- Del (dginolds@gvtel.com), November 11, 2000.

Using Mulch is ok but it is also necessary to put gravel in a circle around the tree trunk specifically to keep rodent chewing problem down.This and wrapping trunk as others have specified

Organic recommendations from a show I used to watch made this suggestion of mulch as organic feed for trees,slow release like a tree wants.However I do remember it was being put on in the spring,so this would prob be the best approach.We mulch our young 20+ tree orchard,and have not had rodent damage.Weedwhipper,yes as those spirals are awfully flimsey anymore.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), November 11, 2000.

I mulch all our young trees 5-6 inches with pine bark chips, the large ones, holds moisture in the dry summers,no problem attracting rodents, and keeps the weedwacker from having to trim close and damage the trunks. Also use white perforated drain pipe thing to protect the trunk from sunscald. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 12, 2000.

One more thing remember newly planted plants still need water in the winter,we have had a very dry fall so we still water every 3 days or so. Wind will also dry younge trees up very quickly.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), November 12, 2000.

I think that the rodent problem may be regional. Here in the northern Great Lakes region, vermin are booming -- resulting in an equal boom in the fox population, who are eating them, but not fast enough. You would have to pile gravel around the trunk all the way up to the snow line, which can reach 3 feet and more to stop them off. They run along the surface of the dirt in tunnels that get amazingly huge under the snow. Cats are useless at controlling them --the terriers worked better, but even they couldn't get all of them

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), November 16, 2000.

Julie - you put gravel on the ground surface. It provides a physical inpediment to keep rodents fron burrowing up to the tree.You also wrap the trunk, as recomended in other posts up above snow line to keep them from chewing the trunk and girdling it.You use both methods together,not just the one.I thought you might have misunderstood.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), November 16, 2000.

We like to heavily mulch to keep weeds down, etc. We do not add mulch to the area around the trees until late winter (Feb-March) when we mulch heavily and close to the trunks. Until then the last year's mulch is helpful, and this year's mulch is too late for any rodent damage.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 16, 2000.

Extreme Northeastern part of Wisconsin, (Florence County)

I've got to be the 'luckiest' Apple Tree Grower! I own 48 Apple Trees! Most have been bought from a local guy who gets them from.....who knows where.....for 10 bucks a piece....and there about 7-9ft. tall! Different kinds....and I also transplanted over a dozen 'Native' Apple Trees I found in the forest.

Anyways, I never wrapped the trees...nor have I put mulch around them. I weed around the base of the tree....and I add Cow Manure all year long around the tree, I fish and I keep all the small bluegills and put them in a 55gal.Drum with Cow Manure in it...put some Nitrogen in the 55gal. Drum too....anything that seems good...and I keep adding water all summer long to this 55gal. Drum....and add the fish/manure/nitrogen/etc.....when it seems thin 'sludge' on the bottom! Another thing too, I punch holes (4 to be exact) around the tree....about half in diameter and 6" deep and put some Nitrogen/PO4/and I think Potassium? It's in a granule form anyways.....I do this on the Holidays, Memorial/Fourth July/Labor Day.....hey, say I'm doing everything wrong....but man, you can't beleive how my trees look for an average of 5 yrs. old! I have not purchased none for over 3yrs....and the oldest trees are 7, but man, are they lookin good.

I worry about bugs....so I spray....but with the hobby farm and work, I usually see the leaves getting eatin before I spray! Man....I have alot of work to do....my intention is good but the time line is short! hahaha.....anyways.....I'm gonna add some wrap here in the next few days? How far 'up' do I go with it, in the summer like it is?

Another thing.....is, I purchased a Cement Mixer for my tractor.....I wonder if I could 'cement' around the tree....leave enough room for the trunk to grow....and it would make it much easier to mow around?

Hey, wanna control DEER? I'm sure some of you guys/girls have heard this before....but I get a few of my wifes 'old nylons'....cut um up in small squares and wrap some 'Irish Spring Soap' (hunks of the bar.....'bout the size of a quarter) and hang it about 30" off the ground. Man, does this work good....and it last a long long time too! I have also sprayed some concentrated Irish Spring Soap diluted with water for those quick solutions when I havn't had time to make those Nylon Wrapped ones?

Later guys/girls

-- Dominico (doms65olds442@hotmail.com), June 05, 2001.