Building a rock basket to protect my Lepidorrachis from Gophers

[BS Man about Palms]

I finally decided to do a pictorial thread on a happenstance discovery I made years back for Gopher protection, but I rarely follow completely due to the extra time and care needed. However on my anecdotal evidence I have zero doubt this will work. Gophers have yet to chew through rock to my knowledge. It may take a day or two to get all the pics up as I am starting this just before I head to work.

This pic shows why I had the idea way back anyway. Some parts of my yard have a lot of rocks. I had a very difficult to dig spot due to so many rocks when I first got into palms where I planted a Bizzy. Later I found it was right next to a "Gopher highway" which kept the gophers from the prize.....until I let the palm dry out from too little water.. different stary I may find else where and add at some point. But as an example, I recently planted a large flavor Cycas and here are the rocks I found planting out a 7 gal sized hole!

First up, a a palm generously parted with by BQ, a Lepidorrachis mooreana. This is a palm I figured well worthy of protection! It was in the ground at his place but suffering from root competition. Pushing its second leaf since digging up, it seems healthy, and these palms like it wet and cool! in a 5 gal pot sitting in the hole I dug. Several year of random mulching is improving my clay noticeably.

 

Sorry that some pics are blurry, I had muddy hands using my smart phone. Next is the empty hole.

[BS Man about Palms]

After you trial fit the pot in the hole with rocks and soil/mulch on the bottom and the side, you can start planting. I tried a couple versions. The idea is to fashion a rock "basket" that will be impenetrable once the wire basket rots away. I tried this first...

Then I realized the smaller rocks would be better for the sides. Don't worry, the roots will find a way through. I used a larger rock on the second try.

 

[BS Man about Palms]

Next, after you place rocks as flat as possible, cover with soil or mulch. I tend to use coarse mulch as it helps break up my clay.

You then trial fit again before placing the plant in the hole. I opted to not put a wire "bottom" as it is just another step of work. Also, loose soil mixes will make the next step VERY difficult. As this was already planted at one time, it came out pretty intact.

[BS Man about Palms]

I had cut some wire to place around the plant. This is just one way to do it. a premade wire basket can hold the rocks in place if you want to prepare most of the hole before planting. This thread is to just get the idea across, implement as needed.

 

I then placed the wire around the root ball and held in place with a rock...

[BS Man about Palms]

With the wire protection in place, it's time to start adding rocks..

 

Put the rocks tightly in place and then add a small amount of soil/mulch and then repeat. The idea is that when nature destroys the wire, the rocks remain to protect the root zone, etc.

 

 

Sorry, work calls...

[Jeff Searle]

Wow Bill! It's a shame you have to go to such lengths to plant a palm. But considering you and under your conditions, it's going to be worth all the effort (I hope). But for a rare palm, it will be well worth it, keep us updated and good luck!

Jeff

[quaman58]

I like it Bill. That's a pretty creative solution. 

[Palm Tree Jim]

Bill......good luck with this. 

The plan looks solid for keeping the gophers away!

[PalmatierMeg]

My dream palm! A palm that rare is worth whatever you have to do to protect it.

Questions: The planting hole is small as befits a small palm. As it grows it will send out roots from the basket. Are you concerned the gophers will eat all those roots? If they do, might they harm the palm? Or are you concerned with keeping the critters away from the stem and growing point?

Thanks for the tutorial.

[BS Man about Palms]

Thanks Jeff, I hope it flourishes.. they've generally done ok until I miss some watering during a heat wave.... hope to have on drip now.

Special Thanks again Bret, I hope I do it justice.

I'm sure it works Jim. Right up until the point it doesn't...lol

 

Meg, the goal is to protect the main point of the palm. Gophers tend to not "spread out"..and encompass. Its more of a pass through thing. Should still be fine.

 

[BS Man about Palms]

Just repeat and layer rocks, then mulch. The tighter the rocks are, the more you ensure protection.

You eventually near the soil line....

 

 

[GottmitAlex]

Awesome!

 

[BS Man about Palms]

VOILA!

Presto Chango, Instant gopher protection!!!

[Hilo Jason]

Well done Bill!  I wish I would have added some rocks along with my wire baskets that have been used for all plantings in my yard.  The rocks are a great idea as the wire will eventually rot out as shown with my recent thread of my eaten Kentiopsis.  (On a side note I have caught 2 huge gophers that were the culprits for that palms death!) 

[Palm Tree Jim]

Gopher stew Jason???????

[Cindy Adair]

What dedication! Yes I would do it too if gophers lived in PR!

I will remember when I next quickly take my serrated trowel, dig a hole, pop in a palm, refill and never water.

However I spend lots of time dealing with bureaucracy here in PR.

Beautiful palm and I look forward to updates in the future!

[Cocoa Beach Jason]

So glad no gophers in my neck of the woods.

[PalmTreeDude]

I hope it works! 

[Josh-O]

On 11/18/2016, 7:27:59, Palm Tree Jim said:

Gopher stew Jason???????

count me in.

[BS Man about Palms]

4 hours ago, Josh-O said:

count me in.

I'll just watch.. 

 

I'm surprised Hammer hasn't piped in... I started this thread when I suggested it on another thread and he asked if I had pics of it...

[Josh-O]

7 hours ago, BS Man about Palms said:

I'll just watch.. 

 

I'm surprised Hammer hasn't piped in... I started this thread when I suggested it on another thread and he asked if I had pics of it...

I no longer cage plant at the fair view garden. once you correct the problem your golden. this is my secrete weapon of choice at my nursery.

I also use trapline traps. check out this video

 

 

[Hammer]

Bill this is fantastic.  What an ingenious solution . 

So if you have the rock basket in place, do you even need the wire mesh basket?  

[BS Man about Palms]

Well, I thought about that, I think it depends on the soil of your plant. 

 If you prepare the rock basket/hole first, before dropping it in, you will need the basket to keep the rocks in place. If you have relatively loose soil, you may need the wire basket it to keep the soil in place while packing in the rocks. A dense soil and /or well rooted might be able to do without the wire.

[Phoenikakias]

On 21/11/2016, 6:40:03, Josh-O said:

I no longer cage plant at the fair view garden. once you correct the problem your golden. this is my secrete weapon of choice at my nursery.

I also use trapline traps. check out this video

 

 

Brilliant idea! It combines pest control with enrichment of soil with organics, in other words you do not have to bury dead animals to this pursose (I have a well known person in mind)...

[Hammer]

23 hours ago, BS Man about Palms said:

Well, I thought about that, I think it depends on the soil of your plant. 

 If you prepare the rock basket/hole first, before dropping it in, you will need the basket to keep the rocks in place. If you have relatively loose soil, you may need the wire basket it to keep the soil in place while packing in the rocks. A dense soil and /or well rooted might be able to do without the wire.

If you cut the bottoms off the various standard plastic pots, you could use them as sort of a mould to construct the barrier around.  When all is done, you could just slide the pot out of the hole, over the newly planted palm and presto!

[BS Man about Palms]

1 hour ago, Hammer said:

If you cut the bottoms off the various standard plastic pots, you could use them as sort of a mould to construct the barrier around.  When all is done, you could just slide the pot out of the hole, over the newly planted palm and presto!

Yeah, That would work. But I have yet to cut a pot easily...lol.

But it does remind me of a second point I have thought about for years and still not sure about whether to start a separate thread or not. How tight to pack the soil. When I started, all I heard or saw is people pounding and stomping and packing the soil so there were no "air pockets". Yet as I have grown and observed various plants, the general consensus is palms love a light airy mix. The two seemed a contradiction to me. So for several years now I have just made sure no "giant empty pockets" were there, with just moderate packing and stomping. My palms seem just as happy if not happier.. Comments?  

[Hammer]

26 minutes ago, BS Man about Palms said:

Yeah, That would work. But I have yet to cut a pot easily...lol.

But it does remind me of a second point I have thought about for years and still not sure about whether to start a separate thread or not. How tight to pack the soil. When I started, all I heard or saw is people pounding and stomping and packing the soil so there were no "air pockets". Yet as I have grown and observed, the general consensus is palms love a light airy mix. The two seemed a contradiction to me. So for several years now I have just made sure no "giant empty pockets" were there, with just moderate packing and stomping. My palms seem just as happy if not happier.. Comments?  

In pots, I tend to compact the soil more.  I guess I do this because the mix is much lighter than my native soil.  

In the ground I am much less prone to mashing out air pockets.   This is because the my soil still has enough clay to become pretty hard if smashed down and dried out.

So I suppose this is in sync with what you do.  But I can't really speak to whether or not it is a good thing to do . 

[sbpalms]

Nice! A rare palm deserves such protection.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

That should work Bill.

Good sized leppidorrachis

[BS Man about Palms]

Picked up a bigger brother...

[Gonzer]

Why'd ya plant it so close William?? Now it won't get to spread it's wings and fly.

[MattyB]

They go around the basket and rocks until they find a way in.  Good luck.  I hope it slows them down enough to give you time to trap them because given enough time they'll find a way in.

[DoomsDave]

3 hours ago, MattyB said:

They go around the basket and rocks until they find a way in.  Good luck.  I hope it slows them down enough to give you time to trap them because given enough time they'll find a way in.