I ordered a two pack off amazon - the cheapest I could find! Looking forward to testing it out this summer!
4 Likes
I wanted to wake up this thread so all of us trying this idea this year can share insights. @benthegirl @cdamarjian @Bdav @Redtnsv if you end up trying it please post updates here on how it is working.
While I ended up with no known breachings of my defenses last year, I found a few cases of squirrels walking over the netting this spring. So I wanted to follow up on this comment:
I would say this might have been proven otherwise, the ones with very little very tight wrapping are the ones the squirrels got over. So, I’m now thinking something more like four times around the trunk, and put attachments around the trunk at both top and bottom, and also have it fluff up a bit in the middle so its overall a small tootsie roll kind of shape, also with a bit of a flare out at the bottom. The flare out at the bottom will make it hard for them to start up.
Another thing I have noticed is having an opening at the top allows leaves to fall in; in some cases where the trunks are flaring this is not avoidable but when possible I am now positioning the upper tie near the top when possible, to keep leaves from collecting.
One other thing is since I am doing so many of these I looked for something cheap to attach them with which is easily adjustable as the tree grows. I am now using bulk twisties, these guys:
They are 1/10th the price of the chain-lock per foot.
I have a lot of trunks to protect so have just been chipping away at it.. maybe half have some protection now, and maybe a third of those I’ve done need some more netting added for good measure.
9 Likes
I made a lot of wraps around the trunk with mine somewhat loosely held together at the top. The main downfall I’m seeing is leaves, grass clippings or anything else gets caught in it. Still unsure of it’s effectiveness, especially against larger critters. Many of my trees have the metal flashing wrapped around them, but I’m also trialing a new idea (for me anyways). Several feet of metal vent pipe going from ground up and just moving them around to each tree as the fruit ripens. Strapping the joint top and bottom so it can easily be separated. That way when the season is over all things with ill appearance can be retired.
1 Like
If there is a tie right at the top, that will minimize how much stuff can get in. I am also learning that when the leaves are crispy I can just rub it all against the trunk and they will turn to little bits that fall out. I’ve got most of mine that had stuff in them cleaned out now.
1 Like
Thanks for the update. I have one tree wrapped gonna wrap four more today or tomorrow
I am going to try sort of loose secured with chain lock on one tree that’s what I have right now My main goal is not squirrels. It is raccoons. I have little to no squirrel pressure. I am thinking if they get their claws stuck and gets all tangled up they will pull it away from the tree. They are so strong.Hopefully we’ll discourage them.
The one pear tree that is in front of my camp I plan on putting the game camera on it next week. It is routinely attacked every year so we will see.
Since I don’t have very many trees, I will be removing it after the Fruit’s gone already see some leaves stuck in the wrapped tree
Thanks again for the chain lock tip I love this stuff.
1 Like
That’s a great idea so we can see it first hand. That cheap net stuff grabs everything when you play with it, so it should be amusing to see the animals fight with it. Or not fight.
3 Likes
Now I get it!
I’ll be trialing this method in the fall for hazelnuts. Because tree trunks are not straight, attaching stovepipe has been difficult and results with baffles have been poor. Eager to give this method a try!
Will be interested in trail camera results to get an idea of impact on claws.
Btw, thank you, Scott, for Soreli. All grafts took!
4 Likes
I’ve started putting mine up with the chain lock. Sadly though, I have lost most of my fruit in the frosts.
I was going to take some time this weekend to assess and put up my game camera on whatever tree has the most fruit left. There are going to be some really hungry squirrels
1 Like
I had problems with squirrels running on top of my privacy fence, then dive bombing into my plum trees and destroying nearly every piece of fruit.
I had to make a platform on top of the 4x4 posts with a ramp to it.
I made a lounging area for my gigantic orange tomcat to hang out on blocking the squirrels access to my trees.
I’ll often hear them enraged, chirping at the cat with their tails swinging around, but but my cat just sits and taunts them…never lost a plum since.
I’ve had huge coons climb my trees literally snapping branches, and broke my young Stanley plum tree in half.
I tried everything to stop them, but they are relentless. When I realized physical barriers would do nothing, I had to appeal to their autism. I saw the coons constantly washing their hands after eating, so I figured would at the very least make life difficult for them and their sensory issues.
I wrapped the the trunks of my peach trees with that yellow fungus gnat trap sticky tape
I put about five successive wraps of it on the tree going up maybe18 inches and zip tied them on.
It kept the majority of them from climbing any higher once their paws got “contaminated”
I’ve got some super sticky, black double sided gorilla type tape I’m going to wrap the trunks with this year when the fruit is close to ripening to see if that too works.
6 Likes
Any summer update on this? Have the squirrels adapted or is the trunk wrapping still working?
I never had a squirrel problem, so I’m probably not a good person to talk about the new design and how it affects squirrels. However, I’ve had a raccoon problem for four years. The crows took over last year after the tornado destroyed their habitat. I guess they were just picked the very small pears Pull them off and eat around and get the seeds. I found it last year just putting the bags in the trees really helped, I don’t know if they just didn’t wanna deal with the bags or they didn’t like the bags floating in the breeze. I’m not sure I put out my game camera on the pear tree that gets hit every year. The crows come and get in the yard but they do not get in the tree so far I have all my trees wrapped. I only have about 6 bearing . I’ve seen no sign of raccoons still a little early, but my theory is they’re not gonna go near the tree. I had a hard time live trapping. They know what a trap looks like and they know what netting looks like it’s gonna be a couple more months before I know for sure but I’m gonna keep the camera on it I usually lose a couple of peaches from what I think might be squirrels cause they cut a hole in the bag. My peaches are finished, and I didn’t lose a peach this year
1 Like
My crops were pretty much all lost to a late freeze, so I haven’t really paid attention.
1 Like
I’ve had a few squirrels getting over the netting but so far it has only been on sloppily done trees. Today I had a tree I left a pole by and they used that pole to get on the tree. The fruit is just now starting to get interesting to the squirrels so I need to do the rounds on the wraps to look for weak spots. I also need to figure out which style of wrapping works the best.
I expect it won’t be perfect but if it is close I will be happy. I hope to figure out the best wrapping style this summer, I just threw stuff on last summer.
3 Likes
I’m in the same boat. I was planning to test this, but there is no fruit to test it on… I will have to report next year (hopefully).
Yeah a late freeze hit all my cherries and plums here in Missouri. I have a few apples and pears and waiting to see if my metal baffles will keep the squirrels away. I have yet to eat an apple or pears from my four trees because of squirrels. We are surrounded by woods so it’s a never-ending battle. Frost+squirrels = nada.
1 Like
This is my first year with metal sleeves. Hopeful! But I am curious about wrapping with netting. Just want to taste one apple or pear before the squirrels do!
2 Likes
In my region the spring squirrel damage is the worst it has been in years. Maybe I buy some monofilament.
The deer and other animals seem particularly desperate this year where I am. I think there is less stuff for them to eat because of the weather issues. There are no mulberries few wild berries so far. Perhaps it’s true where you are too.
I know the squirrels that would have been eating my fruit are definitely going hungry this year. There will not even be black walnuts for them to eat. The black walnut trees froze during bloom and the catkins were all black. Trees that are normally covered in nuts have only a few or none.
I’ve seen deer foraging in my yard and walking on the road during the day; normally, they are only there in morning and evening. I’ve also seen them eating stuff they normally don’t touch like goldenrod.
Same here. Desperate hunger. I have never had a problem with squirrels eating green fruit on my site until this year. My shotgun usually keeps them at least waiting until fruit is ripe.
1 Like
Please do! I’d be interested in how you use it and whether it works.
I just had my biggest fail so far today, a nectarine tree got stripped before I noticed. I was training a recently-grafted pear tree next to it and left a 3/4” wide superhighway about eight feet off the ground for the squirrels to get from the unprotected pear tree to the nectarine. I just did a bunch more wrapping of trees not fruiting which could be jumping-off points to the fruiting trees. Last year the squirrels didn’t take advantage of these routes so I got complacent.
Moral: block every possible path! I even wrapped a telephone pole nearby, it’s not a jumping off point but I want to scare the squirrels by reducing their escape paths. Squirrels get more bold when there is an easy escape nearby.
7 Likes