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Thanks for the reply PJM. You are asking more succinctly the exact question I attempted to ask! The trees did not thrive this year and had much reduced leaf coverage for trees of that size and age. I am speculating that not much photosynthesis occurred this summer and the trees are going to...

We have planted about 150 trees on our Kansas farm in the last three years. Mostly hybrid oak trees, persimmons, and pear trees. We are located right at the border between Zone 6 and Zone 7. I have fought the drought for the last two years, and most of the trees have made it through...

Thanks dboyd! I talked to a guy that used to work on the tree planting crew for our city. He gave the exact same advice you did. I think I am going to install a 12" tall circle of chicken wire around the base of the trunk to stop the larger "chewers" and just close it with a zip tie. I can...

Thanks eric! I had never heard of a gopher basket. I think I will try those on future fruit trees and expensive oaks. (That is why the collective knowledge of a forum is so valuable!)

I have planted oaks and fruit trees at our farm in southern Kansas. We have lost several well-established trees in the 3'-7' tall range due to burrowing activity through the roots. The main culprit is pocket gophers. Another culprit is armadillos. The damage seems to occur most often when we...

Thanks for the help! I did dig the holes about 2x what the root balls needed, and then mixed in about 30% peat moss to increase the organic content in our sandy soils. It seems so counter-intuitive to me to leave the weeds and the grass. However, for the trees that I have cleared around and...

I have planted over 150 trees at our farm in southern Kansas and am trying to decrease my tree mortality going forward. I have planted mostly oaks, hybrid oaks, persimmons, and pear trees. I will continue to add more trees and more species in the future. We only average 25-30" of...

mojo, That was exactly my initial plan. Then I realized that if I got the cut deep into the right tree (leaning tree) and the first tree still did not go over, then I would REALLY have a dangerous situation that is far above my pay grade. Part of the reason I stay safe as an amateur...

I want both trees on the ground. The left tree in the picture will be felled first. It already has a slight lean in the intended direction of fall. I am 99% sure it could be easily felled with a single cut and 1-2 wedges. The leaning tree on the right has been touching the first tree for 10+...

I have a possibly dangerous felling situation and would appreciate some additional insight from the experts. I have two old (90?) Siberian Elms in a wind break that need to come down. Both are still alive and appear to have healthy wood at and above my cutting height. Both trees are about...

TreeHugger, We have a shelter belt on our farm that is a half mile long and 120' wide. I am pretty sure it is a works project from the 1930's. The very last row from the windward side is Ponderosa Pines that stick up about 80'. I have been working on the farm during 35 MPH winds with gusts...

Yes, they will now begin adding trunk girth. Trees require energy to build the active xylem that makes up the wood of the trunk. Your trees now have significantly more leaves to gather energy for photosynthesis. Are you trying to grow the black cherry for timber sales? If so, read up on...

We have started multiple tree plantings on our farm (south-central Kansas). Some of our plantings are in the open native grass fields to initiate some new shelter belts. The seedlings started in 5' tree tubes are showing exceptional growth. However, when the trees emerge from the tops of the...

Thanks for all of the good advice that everyone added to the thread! I have been an outdoorsman all my life, as well as an Eagle scout. I would say my tree assessment skills are well above average for someone of my (relatively low-level) chainsaw skills. That is part of what shook me up so...

Bedford, Thanks for the linked video. I am proficient at "maintenance" level disassembly on my chainsaws. I am a newbie on getting farther into the saw to actually repair broken parts. I will search their site and see if they have videos of more in depth repairs.

RF Down, I had just cut a big mulberry - which gives the biggest chips by far of any of the trees that I cut. I then switched to an osage orange (hedge apple) - which is the hardest wood of any of the trees that I cut. I was just positive I was going to find the inside of the sprocket guard...

Steve, Thanks for the advice. I use the Echo premium bar oil, so I did not think there was any chance I could be clogged on such a new saw. I will hook the line and make sure the filter and line still look to be in good shape. If I disassemble the sprocket guard and remove the inner plate...

I was felling trees in our old shelter belt today, when I received a sharp whack in the back from a mulberry that toppled out of an area that I had cleared about eight minutes earlier. [The "forest" in our shelter belt is 80-90 years old, and half the trees I need to fell are already hung up...

Felling trees at the farm today, when the chain suddenly became very "grabby". Saw is a new Echo CS400 that has about ten hours of flawless use to this point. (Saw had a new chain at the start of the day, hand filed after second tank of gas.) I had filled gas tank and bar oil tank about 10...

Woody, that is definitely something to consider. The previous owner let some Honey Locust invade the native grass field. He just swathed around them. I am slowly removing them. Before I can get to the trunk with my chainsaw, I have to clear 6-8 Eastern Red Cedar that have surrounded every...