It was a BEAUTIFUL weekend. I went to the farm Saturday. Stopped at the garden center on the way out (more on that tomorrow).
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| The yard is still mowed |
I was hoping I wouldn't have to mow so I could work the fruit trees. I was in luck. Even with some rain this past week, the cooler weather has apparently told the grass "don't grow, Winter is coming" and this is what it looked like...exactly a week after the last mowing. Looks like I just did it!
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| Bags of soil |
Since I anticipated not having to mow, I stopped and picked up some bags of soil, to top off the fruit tree raised beds. But first, I needed to do something else. I needed a way to protect the base of the trunk from the weedeater, keep soil from being too close to it, etc. Plus it's a solution that allows me to easily change them out as the trees grow.
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| 4" coupler |
So I found these 4" diameter couplers in the plumbing section. I bought eight, one for each tree (I just realized as I typed this, I'll need three more once I get the citrus planted, but that's next Spring). I think each one was maybe a dollar?
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| Fruit tree trunk protection |
Then I took my utility shears and cut through one side of each one. This way they could easily go around the base of the tree, kind of like a C-clamp.
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| Tree trunk protector |
I put them in place and then topped off the soil in each bed
(oops, missed that spot of grass).
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| Raised bed orchard |
When I was done, other than needing a last "edging" of the season later on, they are clean and ready for some straw mulch next weekend.
Side note, that picture of the ring around the base of the tree, that's one of the apple trees. It's grown almost twice as big as when I put it in the ground. It is definitely happy!
What a great idea for the tree collars. Very effective, easy, and not expensive - good creative thinking! Your fruit orchard looks beautiful and so neat - and healthy.
ReplyDeleteThere is only one tree, a peach, that is struggling. I'm not sure if its the ground underneath the raised bed or what. But we won't give up! Thank you!!
DeleteWe have Beaver that like to munch on our new trees. We've used plastic corrugated drainage pipe, split lengthwise, using zip-ties or garden twine to keep them together. Tall enough to deter the beaver from just standing up and topping the sapling. Easy enough to change to a larger size too.
ReplyDeleteOOOH! Good idea! I will have to look into that. Great idea...Thank you!
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