Subject: Weeds and suckers in grow tubes

From: [email-masked] (Dick Desroches, ACC Systems Manager)
Date: 3 Sep 96 15:38:31 -0500

I used "grow tubes" on the fruit trees I planted this spring.  They seem to 
have worked well.  The trees in the tubes grew much better then those 
without tubes even in a cool, dry summer.

However, there are problems.  First I find that weeds grow up in the tubes 
sometimes to such an extent that they can actually dwarf and smother the 
small trees.  It is extremely difficult to get the weeds out.  Since the 
top of the tubes touches the lower branches it is impossible to lift the 
tube high enough to pull the weeds out.  You can pull them out from the to 
but I'm afraid I may be scarping the bark of the tree.

Secondly, I have the same problem with suckers.  There is no way to get 
inside the tubes to remove suckers.

I have thought of slitting the tubes so I can inside to clean but it seem 
this might destroy some of the desirable advantages of the tubes.

What do other growers do to control weeks and suckers in grow tubes?

Thanks,
Dick Desroches

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From: [email-masked] (steve nellis)
Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 20:48:28 GMT

>Dick Desroches

A company called "SuperTube" makes a grow tube that is split for easy
access in and off.  We use them for wine grapes on our acreage.
Studies have shown that the vines do better if the tubes are left on
longer too.

HTH.