In the early days of tree tube use in the USA – back in the dark ages of unvented, small diameter tree tubes and before we introduced PVC tree tube stakes – one criticism of tree tubes was that they produced spindly, small caliper trees.
Oh, how times have changed! Take a look, then I will tell you the story:
Young oak tree in a Tubex Combitube Plus Tree Tube. (Click to enlarge)
You’re not going to believe the story of this tree. This is a hybrid oak in Mississippi. It was planted as an 18 inch seedling in the spring of 2011. That means this is its 2nd growing season in the ground! The tree tube is 4ft tall. The tree is nine feet tall.
All of that is astounding. But what I love about this photo is the diameter of the trunk – easily 1 inch diameter 4ft from the ground.
When I see trunk diameter growth like that I know two things. I know that the tree tubes have dramatically increased overall biomass growth, rather than simply producing the same amount of biomass and simply elongating the trunk. I also know that this sort of stem diameter growth is mirrored below ground with a corresponding increase in root growth… which in turn will fuel more top growth next year.
So, yes: With Tubex Tree Tubes from Wilson Forestry Supply oak trees grow faster – and thicker – than corn. And bamboo. And kudzu…
