TREE GUARDS

Making Tree Guards From Recycled Milk Containers

Tree guards are often seen as a necessary evil; an unwelcomed but unnavoidable capital outlay without which your nurtured seedlings will succum to the rabbits and voles. We have been recycling our (and our friends) milk containers to great effect by making our own tree guards. You still need to buy canes to support the trees (we have found the cheaper 2ft canes to be adequate).

	Take a plastic 2 litre milk carton and wash it out.
	Cut off the bottom of the container with a pair of scissors
	Carefully cut off the top leaving a small overhang of plastic over the handle tube
	Turn over and insert garden cane (thin end down) into the handle part of the container. The small overhang of plastic you left will help grip the cane.
	Plant your sapling and place your home made tree guard over the plant with the handle facing into the prevailing wind. Push the cane at least 6" into the ground.
	As your trees grow, you can stack more milk containers to the cane to offer further protection should it be required.