The Best Material for Tree Guards: Plastic Mesh
Amateur gardeners often use left-over fence wire or fence wood as winter protection for their trees. Some combine it with wireless fencing (usually scent-based). In general, this method is not very effective.
Cutting fence wire or fence wood in precise pieces is time-consuming, and the more trees you need to protect, the less efficient it gets. Make-shift tree protectors never cling to trees tightly enough, allowing the more dexterous animals to work their way around (or under) them. Moreover, chemical scent fencing doesn’t last very long and requires re-application, making you spend even more time and money.
This is why plastic mesh tree trunk protectors are the most effective solution, both time- and finance-wise. With a plastic tree guard, you simply open the roll with the fabric and let it hug the trunk of a tree.
Plastic mesh tree protectors hug trunks tightly thanks to shape memory, and they also adjust their size as trees grow. They’re a great solution for orchards, parks or other public greenery. Plastic netting permeates light and air and doesn’t hinder the tree’s growth, while being solid enough to withstand attacks from animal teeth.
Installing a plastic mesh tree trunk protector requires no special skills. Just open the roll of fabric and place it around a tree trunk. Plastic mesh is recyclable and eco-friendly — which is always a plus.
Plastic mesh tree trunk protectors can be kept on trunks all year round. They adjust their size as trees grow.
How to Choose the Best Plastic Mesh Tree Trunk Protector
Plastic netting tree guards come in various shapes and sizes. The key parameters for choosing the best fitting ones are:
- the width of the mesh fabric,
- the maximum trunk diameter.
The width of a plastic mesh tree trunk protector should correspond to the height of the tree at the time of installation. It should also be chosen with regard to animals you need to protect your trees from. A tree trunk protector should cover the trunk up to the bottom branches of a tree. Especially when the main purpose of tree guards is protection against deer, we recommend choosing the longest protector possible (depending on the size of your trees). Only when deer is of no concern, pick shorter protectors — they suffice as protection against rabbits and rodents.
Another thing to consider when choosing a tree trunk protector: the diameter of the trunk your tree will reach, with the protector still on. We recommend counting with a slightly bigger diameter than the expected trunk size, to make sure the growth of your trees is not restrained.
The highest risk of animal damage occurs with young trees as animals find their bark the most delicious. Older trees rarely get damaged, so protection for older and larger trees is rarely needed.
You get the best protection with a plastic mesh tree protector reaching the lowest branches, especially on shorter trees.
To make your plastic mesh tree trunk protectors last as long as possible, choose the ones that:
- are UV resistant,
- are made of high-quality European materials,
- have shape memory and cling tightly to the trunk.
Tree Protection in Winter
In addition to plastic mesh tree trunk protectors, growers use jute fabric to protect trees against cold in winter (cold wind dries trees out). If you plant in autumn, we highly recommend using both types of tree protection.
Would you like to know more about tree trunk protectors? Feel free to contact us. We have many years of experience with making plastic mesh protectors and will happily share our knowledge, helping you find the best solution.