OP
Hendey T&G
Member
J...thanks so much for that information. Very helpful and informative.
I wrapped with 1/4 hardware cloth and left it on in the spring. Huge mistake. A bunch of grass clippings, leaves and organic debris got in there and started rotting the tree trunk. Killed one of my trees and damaged another. Now I make sure to get them off after the snow melts.^^^^^
Another thing about the lower branches; when they start getting heavy with fruit they will drag on the ground.
Keep the grass mowed around them and take the mouse guards off in summer, otherwise they make great habitat for insects and can hold in moisture, resulting in disease.
What I would do instead is get some 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth and wrap the tree with that, keeping it about an inch off the trunk all of the way around. These you can leave on year round. Make sure that you get it all of the way to the ground, or the little buggers will girdle the tree underneath it.
I'm not sure where in Maine you live, but if you take a ride past Highmoor Farms on Monmouth (UMaine's research farm) they have some nicely pruned trees with the central leader form.
I am envious. I've got trees which have been in the ground for 5 years or longer. Only one of them is starting to blossom this year, for the first time.
Many of them are standard trees though, which take longer to develop. I probably also could have done a better job prepping the holes before planting.
Yeah, I haven't had much luck with the apple trees I planted either. Was probably 7-8 years before I got any blossoms/fruit, and even now the yield is minimal. Contrast that to a very old tree of unknown variety nearby that typically is full of apples, though more suited to cooking than eating.I am envious. I've got trees which have been in the ground for 5 years or longer. Only one of them is starting to blossom this year, for the first time.
Many of them are standard trees though, which take longer to develop. I probably also could have done a better job prepping the holes before planting.