With the large numbers of white-tailed deer in Minnesota's
forests, depredation by this popular wild animal on planted trees, especially
on white pine, is a problem. The use of paper bud caps is a cheap and effective
way of saving the terminal bud from browsing. The terminal bud is critical
to the tree's survival. Even if most of the side or lateral buds of a tree
seedling are browsed, the tree will continue to grow in a vertical manner
if the terminal bud is not damaged.
Bud caps are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and
easily applied. They offer one potential solution to a widespread seedling
survival problem.
The idea behind the bud cap is to protect the terminal
bud by stapling a piece of paper around it. Suitable paper products include
common lightweight coated printing paper. Potlatch's Mountie Matte is one
example. However, almost any paper stock of 60#-plus weight will work.
The Van Nurden family in northern Itasca County uses their old "rate
sheets" from their resort business as bud cap papers!
The paper should be cut to 4" x 6" (your local
printing shop should be able to help you out). The paper is folded around
the terminal bud of the tree and stapled to some needles near the top.
The top of the bud should be just below the upper edge of the paper. Foresters
with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have found that the
use of two staples to secure the bud cap results in 80%+ of the caps surviving
the winter in place. The Rajala Companies of northern Minnesota, considered
the authority on white pine management, have recently turned to using three
staples. Company foresters have found three staples are more effective
in ensuring the survival of the caps.
The following spring, the bud will expand and grow vertically
out of the opening in the paper. Later in the summer, the paper will deteriorate
enough to fall off. The bud cap must be applied each fall until the terminal
bud is out of reach of the deer... approximately five years.
Technical tips
- Apply bud caps in the fall before first snow.
- Caps are normally 4" x 6" (3"x 2.5"
when folded)
- The two to three staples holding the sides of the paper
together should contain several needles. This will help keep the cap from
blowing off or being pulled off by the weight of the snow. Care should
be taken not to staple the paper cap too tightly around the bud.
- Caps should be applied every year until the tree is about
5' in height, or until out of reach of deer.
- If you bid the process of bud capping to a contractor,
bids should be on a "per tree" or "per acre" basis.
