Success! Cranberries first yield (w/pic)

[Bureaucrat]

Back in 2010, I planted some 12" cranberry seedlings into 5 foot tree tubes. I went and took a look at them yesterday, and this is what I found.

The light isn't great, but you can make them out. The bush/tree is woody enough now that I think this one (and it's four nearby pals) has become a self sufficient plant the critters can count on. They are all between six and eight feet tall.

[Crow Hunter]

Very nice. How does the plant get sun to grow when the tree tube is 4 feet taller than it is? Also, do you have bears in your area? The forester I used when I had some logging done on my land told me that bears will just destroy high bush cranberries to get at the fruit.

Thanks, Crow Hunter

[sticknstring]

The tree tubes encourage vertical growth for forcing the seedling to climb to reach direct sunlight, often doubling growth rates.

[Bureaucrat]

The tubes block some of the UV rays, and allow others through. I can't quite explain it, so I'm pasting the link below:

http://www.plantra.com/Portals/0/docs/jump-start-tree-tube-how-why-it-works-110803.pdf

These guys can explain it far better than me.

I don't have bears where this pic was taken. I do have bears up north where I have just planted a bunch of trees. Funny thing is, I have already lost a set of six tubes on plum trees to bears. The plums were 12" seedlings. There was nothing there for bears as far as the tree was concerned. I wonder if they weren't digging for mice or grubs in the mulch where I planted.

They didn't touch any of the other five species of trees or their tubes.

I hope it works out. I'm down for the struggle if the bears get to be a problem. I'll figure it out one way or another. The habitat battle must go on.

[East Rush Rules]

Very nice! I plan to try out the tree tubes next year. I planted several dunstan chestnuts and American chestnuts this year that I just caged....I believe I would have had better protection/growth out of a tree tube!

[Bureaucrat]

I highly recommend it. I just got back from my northern MN property. I've got 100% success on 30 seedlings (6 seedlings of 5 separate varieties)I planted this spring.

I've been using them since 2008. I'm still learning. There are always challenges that come up;

-using a stake that will last long enough.

-using a stake to keep yer tube from kinking.

-keeping critters outta yer wood mulch.

I'm going to try a few new things myself next year. I have read about guys using pea rock as a mulch to keep critters from digging and chewing. Also, I am going to try planting grafted apple trees in a tube. The trick will be pruning it back enough to get it in the tube.

Who knows? I'll just keep experimenting.

[East Rush Rules]

I went with the pea gravel this year....makes the most sense to me!

[Bureaucrat]

Snapped some newer/better pictures today. It was very rewarding to start seeing fruit after five years of work. These plants are three years old. They are in five foot tubes.