Fruition’s Tree Abundance Kit

5 Plastic Rodent Guards

Mice & Voles can quickly ‘girdle’ and kill young trees, munching their nutritious inner cambium bark in winter. Spring plantings don’t require mice protection but fall plantings do. We put mouse guards on each fall and then remove them in spring. We check for borers when we take our guards off in spring and then again when we put them back on in fall. We aim to leave the trunk open and visible during the growing season, allowing plenty of air flow and making borer patrol easy during the months it matters most.

5 Metal Permanent Labels

There is no better time to have a strategy for permanent labels than before the tree goes in the ground. It’s so easy to put off or even worse, those famous last words, “I’ll remember what it is!” Even if just planting a few trees, it’s great to keep them labeled! Write on these metal labels with pencil/pen/stylus to create an indentation that never fades, a huge advantage over any label that is written on in ink.

Your tree will come from the nursery with a small plastic tag with its name, though this temporary tag won’t actually hold up in the elements over time. They often become faded, torn, mangled or broken off within the first year. Since these tags aren’t meant for permanent use, it’s ultimately up to us to keep track of the varieties we plant and create long term labels for the trees.

15 UV-Resistant Tree Tie Bands

If you’re staking your tree (which many of Fruition’s trees would love!), immediately connecting the tree to the stake is crucial. Rubber Orchard Tie Bands are fabulous for connecting the tree to the support stake.

We tuck one just above the rodent guard once we slip it on, another 6 to 8 inches below the top and a third band in the middle of those two. Though they’re UV resistant and will expand without inhibiting your tree, you’ll likely need to replace them every few years.