 |
Tree shelters were
introduced in the late 1970’s to enhance growth and
survival rates of young saplings and also combat the
problem of animal browsing. They have been very
successful in achieving these aims but can cause
problems of their own such as over accelerated
growth (causing weak root and basal stem) and also
fungal infections such as mildew.
These problems have now been overcome
with the introduction of the ‘Ventilated’ Tree
Shelter from FORTETUB, Europe’s leading manufacturer
of ventilated tree shelters with annual production
of over 20 million units. TWO variations of
ventilated tubes are available, the MicroVent and
MacroVent which are all supplied with releasable
cable ties for easy aftercare. |
|
Why are they better than
solid shelters?
The ventilation starts at a height of approx. 26cm
on the 60cm tube (approx. 45cm on the 120cm tube)
and continues to almost the top of the shelter. This
means that at the bottom of the tube, where it is
solid, a microclimate is formed creating a
mini-greenhouse effect where it is most needed which
helps to accelerate the growth of the young sapling.
When the sapling reaches the height of the
ventilation, the microclimate is reduced and the
growth slowed allowing the basal stem and root of
the tree to form correctly which means that when the
tube is eventually removed the tree is strong enough
to support itself. This reduces the ‘lollipop’
effect that can be sometimes seen with trees grown
in solid tubes. The punctures allow more light into
the shelter, which is advantageous for the foliage
but most importantly, allows for complete
transpiration thus giving controlled ventilation for
high temperatures and a quick thaw in the case of
low temperatures. This greatly reduces the risk of
fungal infections that are often seen in young trees
grown in solid tubes. |
