Protecting saplings in the desert

I'm having trouble with critters eating my mesquite saplings at my place near Joshua tree.  I did cage them but the critters simply climb over the cage and eat my trees!  I'm thinking of using sheet metal around my trees. I am hoping they cant climb that. I would like to know what you guys do to protect your young trees?

Hi Jon,

my saplings also die, but of thirst rather than critters. After some thought, I think that the problem is that the land is not ready for these saplings. In my case, there's not enough vegetation and shade to preserve the water for the new sapling. In your case, there might be not enough food for the critters, so they eat what they can find.

So I'd say that before the saplings, other species have to work in creating better conditions. Can you find another herb or shrub that could benefit some extra planting? In deserts, we need to leave some areas for water catchment, and plant where water can be concentrated. If you could make a few islands of increased vegetation around these spots, I'd say your saplings will have a better chance of surviving.

My main protection is active vigorous dogs along with plastic tree sleeves. I would recommend terriers to get the small animals.

Abraham Palma wrote:Hi Jon,

my saplings also die, but of thirst rather than critters. After some thought, I think that the problem is that the land is not ready for these saplings. In my case, there's not enough vegetation and shade to preserve the water for the new sapling. In your case, there might be not enough food for the critters, so they eat what they can find.

So I'd say that before the saplings, other species have to work in creating better conditions. Can you find another herb or shrub that could benefit some extra planting? In deserts, we need to leave some areas for water catchment, and plant where water can be concentrated. If you could make a few islands of increased vegetation around these spots, I'd say your saplings will have a better chance of surviving.

I have honey mesquite trees that are native to my area. In my opinion they are one of if not the most drought tolerant tree there is. I grew them from seed from native specimens.  My trees aren't dying from lack of water, the problem that I'm having is the critters nibbling the branches and turning my trees into shrubs!  I think I'm just going to make a tree guard out of sheet metal to keep them from getting to my saplings. I don't think they can climb sheet metal.  I have a few mesquites in pots that I will transfer to my garden and I want them to get nibbled by the local critters.

My trees aren't dying from lack of water

I never said so, please, read again.
I think that a possible cause that critters are destroying your sapplings is because they are easy prey. When we want to reforest in my country, we need to have first some bushes that hide and protect the tree saplings from critters.

I have a friend that moved down to Arizona. He was using a swamp cooler to save money on cooling, and then the humidity went way up in the summer. So he switched from the swamp cooler to his A/C unit, and all the birds that were drinking from his swamp cooler started attacking his cactus garden. His solution for rabbits digging into his yard to eat the cactus was to give them a water bowl outside the fence. It might be that the critters are eating your trees out of thirst rather than hunger. I don't know easy that would be to fix, but it might be worth trying to put a large water tank with an automatic float fill to a small bowl for the animals.

You could try Mark Sheppard's STUN method. Sheer Total Utter Neglect. Plant thousands of trees, way too close together. Some of them might survive.

Abraham Palma wrote:

My trees aren't dying from lack of water

I never said so, please, read again.
I think that a possible cause that critters are destroying your sapplings is because they are easy prey. When we want to reforest in my country, we need to have first some bushes that hide and protect the tree saplings from critters.

I didnt say you did. I just want people to know that my trees aren't dying from a lack of water. Whatever I plant the critters get to it and eat it.  I  just want some tips/advice/ideas on how to keep climbing pests out off my saplings. I do have a water dish and a birdbath for thirsty critters.  

Lofthouse advice sounds good to me.
Maybe if you can provide more specifics about your site:
Size, type of soil, established vegetation, stresses (other than the critters), location, a photo. The size of your saplings, are they one year old? More? Have you identified the critters?

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:You could try Mark Sheppard's STUN method. Sheer Total Utter Neglect. Plant thousands of trees, way too close together. Some of them might survive.

Great idea but I cant plant thousands of trees! Ill be happy if a get a few going!

Abraham Palma wrote:Lofthouse advice sounds good to me.
Maybe if you can provide more specifics about your site:
Size, type of soil, established vegetation, stresses (other than the critters), location, a photo. The size of your saplings, are they one year old? More? Have you identified the critters?

My place is near Joshua Tree CA. Sandy soil, lots of creosote bushes, yuccas, beavertail cactus. I have planted a few saplings. Some are a few years old but like I said critters climb over the hardware cloth cage and eat the branches.

Here are a  few more pictures. I used a groasis waterboxx which worked well but the critter ate the saplings.

Maybe it needs to be bushier first. Like in this image:

Or you can close the cage in the upper side too.

I'm thinking of using something like this to protect my trees. I don't think the critters can climb over it.