How Do I Protect Oak Tree Seedlings over Winter?

[RWEST]

I know this is an equipment forum, but I have a tree question. My niece showed up with 10 bare root oak seedlings this spring, so, we got some 5 gallon drywall mud buckets, poked some holes in the bottom, put a couple inches of gravel in there and some good soil, and put 'em in there, then stuck 'em in a nice fairly shady area. Nine of 'em survived, flourished, actually, this summer, and now I'm wondering what we should do with 'em over the winter. It can get below zero here in the winter .
We won't be able to plant them for another year or so, so they have to stay in the buckets. Should I let them in the buckets and put the buckets in a protected area outside? Put 'em inside?
I have an unheated shed I could stick them in. How about that?
Thanks.

 

[MikeD74T]

I'd dig the buckets into the ground to the level of the dirt inside & surround with enough wire to keep mice, deer, etc away. In a shed they could dry out too much. MikeD74T

 

[Ford850]

I bought dozens of trees and shrubs on sale in the fall a couple years ago, planning to landscape our house the following spring. I did just as was suggested. I dug trenches and set the containers in them, then back-filled around them. Then I covered them with a 1 or 2 foot layer of leaves in early winter after they were good and dormant. They all survived fine.

 

[RWEST]

In a shed they could dry out too much

Never thought about that.

I dug trenches and set the containers in them, then back-filled around them. Then I covered them with a 1 or 2 foot layer of leaves in early winter after they were good and dormant.

Great. The ground is SOOO rocky here!! That's one of the reasons we aren't planting them til next year, after we get some decent fill. Digging on the property is an exercise (literally!!) in futility. Pick for a minute, dig pieces of rock for ten. And, right up the road, my brother's place has about 2 feet of rock-free topsoil. Hmmm, maybe I could dig nine holes in his yard? Oh well, I guess I'll go searching for some dirt, and build an above-ground arrangement for 'em.

 

[Ford850]

You could also line them up in a row, double wide, and lay bales of straw down each side and across the ends. Then fill the middle with leaves or mulch. I think that would do fine too.

 

[tommu56]

RWEST

up by my cabin (NC PA) they use tubes that are white like these
Miracle Tubes


to keep the deer and other animals from feeding on them


tom

 

[RWEST]

You could also line them up in a row, double wide, and lay bales of straw down each side and across the ends. Then fill the middle with leaves or mulch. I think that would do fine too.

Hey, I like that idea!! THANKS!! I tell ya', these forums are a wealth of ideas!!

Tom - I'm thinking about stringing some chicken-wire fence around the whole thing. What few deer we have will be by to visit, I'm sure.