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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Biodegradable tree guards - help!

12 replies

AmIAWeed · 15/03/2019 08:46

Meh!
I am a little late ordering my bare root hedge plants but I keep slowing down because I can't find a reasonable price for tree guards.
I can buy normal plastic ones for around 32p each....if I want a biodegradable one it's over £1 more
With 50 plants that's a heck of an increase in overall cost

So is there an affordable alternative?!
I have 2 dogs and chickens so putting nothing up probably wont work :(

OP posts:
ppeatfruit · 15/03/2019 11:37

Could you cut the bases off large plastic bottles and put them top side up over the plants, without their tops on of course, you could borrow some from friends? Or neighbours?

AmIAWeed · 15/03/2019 13:19

That's a nice idea, I can certainly ask friends if they've some bottles I can try with... probably should have thought about this sooner than the day before the plants arrive!

OP posts:
ppeatfruit · 16/03/2019 08:28

They say to 'heel' the bare roots in while you wait for the goodweather, or the plant protectors!

AmIAWeed · 16/03/2019 09:58

The box arrived this morning, I've an afternoon planned in the rain with welly boots and waterproofs to get them in, will keep the dogs out that garden until I can get the plant protectors sorted - It's a relatively sheltered spot and tomorrow when the wind drops I'll be repairing all the wind damage - what fun!!
I think im going to take the plunge and order the biodegradable ones. I'm not going to get 50 bottles pulled together to use quickly enough :/

OP posts:
ppeatfruit · 17/03/2019 08:52

Good luck! I was going to suggest going to your local recycling centre there's bound to be loads there!

AmIAWeed · 17/03/2019 18:09

I am broken!!!!
All 50 planted today, they were much bigger with far better roots than I was expecting. I ordered 60cm ones that are closer to 70-80cms so I dug a trench and got all 50 in. They are against a post and rail fence so I added some hookeyes to the posts and threaded wire through to hold the tops in place so hoping I can avoid the plastic and canes. Chickens have been supervising all work!

Biodegradable tree guards - help!
OP posts:
ppeatfruit · 18/03/2019 10:00

Oh Congratulations !! They look good already! You did it all by yourself?

ppeatfruit · 18/03/2019 10:04

I can't make out what type of hedgeing you're using, holly?

AmIAWeed · 18/03/2019 10:31

By myself, I'm really pleased but hurt today!
My husband did take up once I finished and mowed the lawn, oh and he did the hookeyes bits. Lifting the top of the grass was the worse bit.

I've opted for privet as it's the front garden.

We've split it into two so we have the bit people approach the house and front door so this can provide a year round barrier to make the other half private so we can use it as a 'back garden' as it gets the evening sun so I'm looking forward to tracking the sun all day :)

OP posts:
AmIAWeed · 18/03/2019 10:31

Take up should be rake up!

OP posts:
ppeatfruit · 18/03/2019 11:17

We have more of a front garden than a back one, I'm going to have to replace a box hedge (only on one side of the drive). It's old, not box blight or anything just bald ! Though we're lucky because we have bay plants growing like weeds, so I'm going to use them for a new hedge (we're in mid west Fr.)

Though I might have to wait for next season now. It needs to be cut down first of course!

oakthorn · 18/03/2019 11:26

It's rabbits who will get them. Get some spiral guards which are cheap and easy to remove . Biodegradable tubes sadly are always 3 times as much as standard which is why they never get used .

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