Calling all Tree top growers

[stratmandu]

As a lifelong whitetail hunter, I climb a lot of trees, and I've built many a tree stand. Here are some tips: squirrels love to chew rope; securing with metal cable or chain to screw-in anchors is more secure with less hardware, and can be removed and relocated without damaging trees. Camo everything; that blue rope is the most visible color to a human. Avoid "skylining"; break up the outline of anything of an obviously man-made shape with branches and vines. Use whatever is around so it will match. I used to attach branches to a hideout with that green wire to you get on a spool from the Army-Navy store thats used for tripwires and boobytraps in the Army. I'll think of more...

 

[Directrix]

good tips! and yeah those pots are going to be a love heavier when you put dirt in them. lol

 

[Guest129216]

This is confusing, how secure are your plants? Wouldn't squirrels love to dig in the dirt and birds? Blue rope isn't exactly discrete either.

I think they are quite secure. Hardly visible from the ground, and no sheep, deer, snails etc.
I don't know how the squirrels and birds will treat the plants.... Time will show.

The blue rope is not visible from the ground btw. Also I plan to secure better. This is just to get an idea. Checking if it's visible from the ground etc.

Stratmandu: great post. please give us more.....

 

[stratmandu]

One thing I highly recommend is a good safety harness if you're gonna be climbing in trees. Many folks have been killed or severely injured in falls while deer hunting. I use a Summit seat-of-the-pants harness. I tie 3/8" static climbing rope at the top and bottom of the tree and a 1/2" static rope prussic knot loop goes on that. Google "hunter safety systems" and you will find a lot of info on how to use this simple but very safe system. I clip on at the bottom and climb up, sliding the prussic knot up as I go. If I fall the prussic will bind and catch me. If you don't want to leave the rope, you'll have to secure yourself after you (carefully) climb up. I can't stress this enough because I know a lot of you guys go it alone. I fell 12 years ago, and it might have killed me had I not been with a friend who got me to a hospital (I'm fine now.). You don't want to know how painful it is to take a grumpy with cracked ribs, much less get used to a wheelchair. I fell because I was tired, and just wanted to finish a little more work before quitting for the day - I should have quit when I got tired. I didn't and made a mistake. Don't climb baked.

I also recommend the portable tree-climbing ladder sticks by Summit. I strap them on the tree with automotive/motorcycle tie-downs, and I remove when I leave. Sometimes I use the Ameristep screw-in tree steps to add extra handholds.

The deer will be foiled, but you have all the tree-dwellers to deal with. Fortunately few of these are browsers. I imagine some chicken wire on the top of the container to keep diggers out would be required for squirrels - they love to bury acorns and will dig constantly during acorn season (Sept-Oct). Did I mention they love to chew on ropes and straps?

Hunters have tons of gear marketed to them for climbing trees. Check out Bass Pro, Cabelas, and my favorite for cheap stuff, Cheaper Than Dirt or Sportsmans Guide. Screw-in steps would be good for securing loads aloft. Also tree stands use those ratcheting tie-downs that will hold heavy loads, like my big ass and a rifle. They also sell camo burlap and other leafy cut fabrics for making blinds, camo duct tape, etc. Everything you need to hide in the woods, in fact. Come to think of it, looking like a hunter is a pretty good cover story to be diddy bopping in the woods, as long as you observe seasons and know the laws. Get a license. Its good to know the game laws and seasons in your area anyway for security. Definitely find out when opening day of firearms deer season as there will be a butt-load of guys in the woods that day (usually around Oct 20th in my area). Also DONT FORGET TURKEY SEASON - mid March thru May and hunters move around more after turkeys. Be careful climbing and planting. Its best to use small urban/suburban empty lots and overgrown areas too small to hunt. I had my best crop within 1/2 mile of a county prison, once long ago.

Something you can't buy at the hunting store is what I like to call "woodcraft", or ninja skillz if you will. Learn how to walk quiet, to listen, to observe the little signs and sounds, a footprint, or a turned up leaves, bent branches. Become part of the woods. Good luck and stay safe. I have to add that I've never grown in trees, but I am interested, and have found a huge old oak with a perfect natural platform for a couple big trash cans, and a heavy growth of vines to mask the grow. I may give it a try.

PS I find all my best spots while hunting. Also I'm not a killer, I've only shot 3 bucks since "94 because I only want the huge old alpha males and they are very wise and almost nocturnal.

 

[Stanovavich]

I was thinking about tree grows last night, seems like a cool project. I hope a bunch of people will try this and post their results this year. Hopefully noone gets hurt

 

[bird]

me and my dad have talkd bout tree growing. gettin inspired by this thread maybe gonna try a couple this year already got plans to try it with
hope the watering want be to hard to do

 

[Guest129216]

that blue rope is the most visible color to a human.

You were right Stratmandu. After the snow fell of the trees and it was raining, the blue rope was shining like a glowstick on a raveparty.

Changed it with this old climbers rope i had lying around.

On the ground there was deershit everywhere. Im so stoked that i dont have to deal with that problem this year.

I would love to see more people posting pics of pots in trees. Come on everybody, get off your lazy asses and head to the trees. Great view up there too.

 

[arcticsun]

hehe looks like a smart move putting them in the trees with that much deer. I wonder if reindeer will eat the weed? I bet the would...

 

[ilovethewest]

this is some funny shit. also kindave brilliant. im going to see if i can climb any trees. my first thought is do this close to a river or stream that will run through the season hopefully. maybe not possible. secondly i know plants like a lot of water in the summer, so im thinking like 10gal of rez for every plant. maybe large dry bags for rafting would work really well for that, or i bet somebody sells giant water bags that could be camo-ed up to work. another thing i have been reading is how you want to catch the rain water. not a good idea i think; your not going to catch that much with such a small surface area, no where near enough to feed the plants anything substantial. just not going to happen. and secondly i would think that you want to choose trees that would protect your plants from the rain so they dont get fucked up, moldy, you are trying to grow trees right? so that is why i say up the amount of space you have for your rez. that way you will be prepared for when its hot late july.also pumps vertical drive is an issue. i would definitely be trying to use a battery and pump, now im thinking if i did it in 2 or 3 stages, it would work, but take a while. faster then going by hand i guess. these dry bags or large water bags are needed. im going to put some brain power into this and keep looking here. knock on wood for a safe logging season free of nasty falls.

 

[Stanovavich]

bom, will you be using any camo for your rubbermaids?

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

You were right Stratmandu. After the snow fell of the trees and it was raining, the blue rope was shining like a glowstick on a raveparty.

Changed it with this old climbers rope i had lying around.

On the ground there was deershit everywhere. Im so stoked that i dont have to deal with that problem this year.

I would love to see more people posting pics of pots in trees. Come on everybody, get off your lazy asses and head to the trees. Great view up there too.

I'd camo those, they stick out like a sore thumb. and use different rope maybe OD Green or Black.

 

[EstimatedProph]

You guys are innovative but out of your f*cking minds! Haha props on this idea!

 

[MMAJAY]

Just make sure you spray your ropes similar to there surroundings as well as your tubs. Someone mentioned useing wire because of squirrlels. They are very much attracted to ropes and wires. They will chew threw even stranded wire, so i recomend solid wire and nails. Tree growing has been going on for many years and is a very almost secure way. Another good method to cover your pots is rap them up in old camo military wear. I used to have a good selection of my old BDU's.

 

[ilovethewest]

im thinking black 1/4" mesh covering plants for birds and what not, and all kinds of repellants on and around the tree. also there is this gas honda pump for $450 that has 108 feet of vertical drive. weighs 13lbs dry! thinking about one of those. maybe some small wire fence around the base of the plant and covering the dirt, to discourage digging.

 

[Guest129216]

hehe looks like a smart move putting them in the trees with that much deer. I wonder if reindeer will eat the weed? I bet the would...

Reindeers would probably love it. They love magic mushrooms(nor: Flein Sopp) so this would be like their coming down drug. he he.

another thing i have been reading is how you want to catch the rain water. not a good idea i think; your not going to catch that much with such a small surface area, no where near enough to feed the plants anything substantial. just not going to happen. and secondly i would think that you want to choose trees that would protect your plants from the rain so they dont get fucked up, moldy, you are trying to grow trees right?

I'm not sure if you are right. I live in a very rainy part of the world. The point of this was not too get water though(although that is good to ofcourse), but to get nutrition to the plants. Been doing this on the ground with other kinds of plants. Will probably not do it though, since an extra bucket up there would be a waste if im not growing weed in it....

I don't live so far away from the plants, so I will water manually.

Will see how it goes, it's kind of an experiment since ive never done it before. Will probably do a lot of things different next year if I do it next year....

bom, will you be using any camo for your rubbermaids?

Nah. Not too many people around that forrest. Deer hunters in the fall. I'm not to paranoid about getting caught.

Just make sure you spray your ropes similar to there surroundings as well as your tubs. Someone mentioned useing wire because of squirrlels. They are very much attracted to ropes and wires. They will chew threw even stranded wire, so i recomend solid wire and nails. Tree growing has been going on for many years and is a very almost secure way. Another good method to cover your pots is rap them up in old camo military wear. I used to have a good selection of my old BDU's

There are Squirrels there, but I think I will deal with that problem IF it becomes a problem.

See you guys.

 

[supermanlives]

i once used my hunting tree stand to grow 3 plants. worked great but was way too much work. it was a camo platform. if you could find an easy way to water then it would be alot more feasable. i aint 18 anymore

 

[ganjafarmer420]

im startin soonn cant wait hope everything cums out cream gonna post everything boys

 

[intel2000]

*grabs the popcorn*

 

[NHMI]

I had thought about doing that years ago but never got around to it. It is a great idea the only problem with telling everyone is if LEO's come on these forums then they would know and spread the word and before you know it, it will become standard to look in trees too....but it is a great idea if you are dedicated and don't mind climbing trees.....maybe you can make a rainwater collection device that automatically feeds your plants, then you can just fill it once in the beginning and then it should go a long time unless we had a dry spell in which case you would know so you could go water em...

 

[McDank805]

any updates on this?
friggin nuts!