Mail Order Trees Part 3: Did They Survive?
In this video, I visit my orchard test plot, several months after planting on our homestead land, to see how the mail order trees are surviving. I am curious about their condition and whether or not my deer deterrents are working.
I apologize ahead of time for the video quality. I was using my phone which normally takes amazing videos but later discovered that it's black case was causing it to overheat in the sun (I recorded on a very hot day) and this caused a jumpy recording and other distortions. I decided to post the video anyway because with the twins, and my other commitments, I didn't have time to rerecord it. Hopefully, you can glean some good information anyway. I will also try and provide some value in the rest of this post.
The branches on this Black Locust are new growth in the last few months.Black Plastic Mulch
You will notice in the video, one tactic I employ is to put black plastic around all of the trees. I had returned about a month after planting and many of the trees were completely buried beneath the pasture grasses. I knew I needed something to keep the pasture grasses from smothering them but with so many trees none of the other options seemed viable. Mowing can work but it needs to be done several times every year and you run the risk of damaging or killing the tiny trees you are trying to protect with the mower. Cardboard and wood chips is way more labor intensive and won't last more than a season with the type of grasses I was trying to suppress. Cardboard and wood chips tend to have weeds growing in it by the second season.
I did a fair bit of research on plastic mulch (that is what the agricultural black plastic is called) but I couldn't find any locally that was heavy duty enough to last more than one season. I ended up using some black synthetic roofing felt which is basically heavy black plastic with a textured side because I had some extra lying around. I secured it to the ground with landscaping staples. I figured this material would perform the same function since it is pretty heavy duty and even if it doesn't last more than a year at least it was nearly free.
I should have put tags like this on all of my trees.Black plastic mulch has many advantages. It smothers weeds better than more natural alternatives which, in my experience, only work with constant maintenance. It also prevents evaporation and heats the ground around the tree. While this heating effect can be a negative in hot climates, in our cold climate it can actually extend the growing season. Some people also believe that it actually enhances tree growth. If you get the heavy duty black plastic mulch it should last 4-5 years or more. You can even put other mulches on top of it if you want to shield it from the sun and extend it's life even further.
I am interested to see how this synthetic roofing felt pans out. Maybe I have found a low cost alternative to the actual heavy duty plastic mulch. My plan going forward will be to lay out rows of black plastic mulch and plant my selected orchard trees right into it rather than adding it after as I did this year. I will then leave it for at least 4-5 years while the trees establish themselves and grow large enough to out compete perennial grasses and other herbaceous plants. After the 4-5 year mark the plastic will be close to completely worn out and can be removed and recycled. What I will be left with is a natural system but one that was helped along by a little modern technology.
Left: You can see how big the pasture grasses are compared to the trees. Right: No bite is an extremely bitter natural spray that deters wildlife from eating your trees.
very very beautifull plants.I like your post brother.You are a great!Your all post is very great.I like your all post.
You visit my steemit id brother,So I am very very happy!!!
the videos are very good. in which we can take care of our plant.
Upvoted! :)
Thank you!
@originalworks
The @OriginalWorks bot has determined this post by @canadianrenegade to be original material and upvoted(1.5%) it!
To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!
This post has received a 22.22 % upvote from @kittybot thanks to: @canadianrenegade.
This post has received a 8.00 % upvote from @upmyvote thanks to: @canadianrenegade. Send at least 1 SBD to @upmyvote with a post link in the memo field to promote a post! Sorry, we can't upvote comments.
This post has received a 25.77 % upvote from @upgoater thanks to: @canadianrenegade.