Stakes & Guards

Do I Need Guards for my Trees or Hedging?

Rabbits, voles, and deer can do a lot of damage to young plants.

If you are certain that they are not a threat in your location, then you do not need a guard. Guards also protect garden trees from accidental damage by garden machines or kids.

For hedging:

• If you need to use a spiral guard (plastic or biodegradable) against animals, the spiral needs a bamboo support cane. 
• Otherwise, hedging plants and sapling trees usually don't need support unless they are in an exposed, windy location.

For trees:

• Defender Pro Tree Shelter: Cheapest option, square shape.
• Ashridge Tree Guards: Similar to above but tubular shape, more space inside for shrubby plants & conifers.
• Heavy Duty Tree Guard: Serious protection from most deer. Great for gardens where lawnmowers and strimmers can ruin a young tree with one bump. 

What size tree guard do I need?

• If you only have rabbits and other small rodents to deal with, choose our 60cm tall tree guards 
• If you have Welsh and English Deer around, choose our 120cm tall guards. 
• If you have Red Deer, a very tall fence and a lively dog are recommended: we don't sell guards or cages that size

Do I need a Stake to Support my Trees?

In general, yes, you should support a new, big tree like one of our 6/8 or 8/10 girth standards, preferably using a hardened roundwood stake and an adjustable rubber tree tie with a buffer to protect the trunk.

• If you have a very sheltered garden, then it's certainly possible to plant a with no support stake. 
• The problem is, you won't know if you got away with it until it's too late and the tree blows over.
• That will damage the roots, set the tree back, and then you have to stake it anyway. 

Our square softwood stakes are intended for supporting tree shelters, not the trees themselves. That does not stop people from using them as support stakes anyway, which they do a poor job of.