Drinking straws around trunks of seedlings.

Hi all,

I am doing an experiment with drinking straws. I've been saving my straws for 2 or 3 years, I have hundreds of them!
I cut up one side of the straw (and cut it to fit the length) and put it around the trunks of some small Chinkapin Oak seedlings recently.
I am trying to throw squirrels off. For some reason, they not only take the acorn that the small seedlings grew from, they snip the seedlings' trunks at the base, many times. I realize their teeth can make short work of a straw but maybe they'll be less inclined to try it with a straw there. Its worth a try anyway!
Oh, and from what I've seen, they don't grow back.

Will

And I thought you were doing some sort of mini Rootwell experiment.
The really need to outlaw squirrel I believe, they do such constant minor damage it is frustrting.
Best of luck
Al

I think your idea is ingenious. Good for you.

I think the tree snipping is simply a result of them eating the cotlydens still in the ground. I'm doubtful that protecting the stem will prevent the same damage from still occurring.

Scott

I was out looking at them this morning.
Ironically they didn't get the acorns that showed but dug all around in several other pots nearby looking for something good to eat. I simply filled the holes back in and straightened up the seedlings (that had straws on the trunks), and I'll await their next attacks! Lol!

Will

I wonder if it might be better to just cover the ground with hardware cloth.

It would be difficult to cover each pot with hardware cloth, the seedlings are now well above being flush with the tops of the pots, hardware cloth wouldn't fit at this point.
I did however, use 1/2" mesh hardware cloth over the seed boxes where they germinated.
Without the wire mesh then, the acorns would've been gone long ago.

Will

For sure, Will. I was thinking about future crops: letting the trees grow throught the mesh, and cutting it away when digging danger has passed.

Rick

Thanks Rick, thats a good idea. My seed boxes aren't that deep though, maybe 6 inches at the most.
They usually do grow up through the wire mesh before I dig them out. If I wait too long though, the roots get too extensive and I risk not getting them all when I dig them up.
My seed boxes leave something to be desired, its just 2 x 6's about 6 feet long and 2 feet wide that I made up out of extra lumber. There good for about a 3 month seedling, then digging time!

Will

Well, I've used these seed-boxes up, its time to get the last seedlings out and start dismantling them. I have an update on those seedlings that I put those straws around, they are doing fine. I did that to the last few seedlings that I dug up out of my seed boxes today (see the photo).
Thanks Equil, but genius? Maybe I am! But technically, I think thats over 140 IQ, I don't think mine is that high! I hope it was a good idea though! Drinking straws, gawd!
Well, I'll try anything to keep out the vermin! Oh, thats my famous, or not so famous "Missouri Native Cactus", btw, if anyone wants to take a stab at what it is, go ahead, I don't know either!

Will

Funny, I thought it was some weird new way to drink a tree!

Opuntia?

Good guess, but it isn't Opuntia humifusa (Prickly-Pear). I have Prickly-Pear too, and its more pad shaped, these are like tubes. They are hardy here, I had many cuttings of them in pots and they have started growing as of about a month or 2 ago. They were outside all Winter in pots, and it didn't phase them at all.
I drew blood on that cactus today, the only time I didn't have on leather gloves, WHAM!
Opuntia covers several cacti I think, my guess is Cylindropuntia. Watering seedlings! Hey, I never thought of that, I think I'll try it! Hehe.. I wonder if rain-water shoots down there thru the straws, now it has me thinking. Btw, I just looked at that photo and I'll be something if I didn't forget to put a drinking straw around one or maybe 2, I must look now while its still light.

Will

Take a photo of the plant by itself that you are calling a native cactus. I'm curious.

Curious might you be? Well, I have posted in the Cactus and Succulents forum to see if maybe someone knows. Here is a link to it -

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/616721/

Will