The 100% Recycled PVC Vole guard is a low-cost solution for protecting newly-planted transplants from the nibbling effects of mice and voles, which are impossible to control and very commonly found in new tree planting sites. The vole guard has a diameter of 2 cm and the ability to expand to facilitate the growing tree stem while still offering protection for up to four years.
The recycled PVC Vole Guard is available in two forms:
20cm Spiral Vole Guard – a shorter version of the Recycled PVC Spiral Guard
20cm Tube Vole Guard – a solid tube version of the Spiral Vole Guard but with the ability to be pushed into the ground 2-3 cm to plug any gap that could allow a vole to enter the guard.
PVC Spiral Vole 20cm
PVC Tube Vole 20cm
PVC Spiral Vole 20cm
PVC Tube Vole 20cm
The Rainbow Defender Pro is a tree / vine shelter like no other, with a flat-pack design and easy tie-free installation. The design of the Defender Pro includes three separate openable slots for the different sized stake support to ensure the shelter is secured properly. The slots remaining can be opened to facilitate ventilation if required and the guard has a positive micro-climate inside aiding growth of the plant. The key aspects for the Defender Pro are the ease of transportation and the ability to widely recycle after service life. Available in a wide range of lengths with shrub diameters for bushy transplants.
Std Defender Pro 85mm x 60cm / 75cm / 1.2m / 1.5m
Shrub Defender Pro 150mm x 60cm / 75cm
Std Defender Pro 85mm x 60cm / 75cm / 1.2m / 1.5m
Shrub Defender Pro 150mm x 60cm / 75cm
The Rainbow recycled PVC Spiral Guard is a low-cost solution eco-friendly solution for protecting newly-planted trees and shrubs against herbicide applications and browsing by mice, voles, rabbits, and hares. The recycled PVC, which can be recycled a further nine times and helps to divert unnecessary plastic disposal into landfill, is available in several colours and is translucent, enabling the protection to blend in with different environments. The guard is available with and without ventilation holes depending on herbicide use, the species of tree planted, or the environment present.
The PVC Spiral has the ability to expand with the growing tree stem, reducing the risk of damage while still offering protection for up to five years. The PVC Spiral is supported by a cane inside the spiral.
Installation is simple and straight forward with the spiral overlap always at the top on each whirl. This allows the guard to expand as the tree gains girth during the growing process. The Spiral Guard also has the benefit of being openable during installation to facilitate bushy stems in a wrap-round pattern. After a period of 4-5 years, the guard can be removed from the tree and recycled once again through the Rainbow Spiral Recycling Scheme.
60cm / 75cm x 38mm in translucent, brown or white
60cm / 75cm x 50mm in translucent, brown or white
60cm / 75cm x 38mm in translucent, brown or white
60cm / 75cm x 50mm in translucent, brown or white
Rainbow spiral recycling scheme
times a PVC product can be recycled
million kgs of CO2 emissions avoided to date
times a PVC product can be
recycled
million Kgs of CO2 emissions avoided to date
For 25 years, Rainbow Professional have been the only tree guard manufacturer using 100% recycled materials. This is estimated to save at least 2 million kgs of carbon every year, avoiding virgin plastics from entering the environment. Rainbow is launching the Rainbow Recycling Scheme in partnership with wholesalers and recycling partners across the UK to recycle your old spirals. Join us in collecting and recycling old spirals and give PVC products up to 9 useful lives.
The sooner protection is removed from a planting scheme once planting is mature enough the easier it will be to remove, reuse, recycle and the less likely the plants will incur damage. This is approximately after 4-5 years. After this time, spirals become more brittle, can shatter or plants can grow around them trapping the plastic in their stems (especially hazel). The best season for removing hedge spirals is between September and March when hedge plants are bare of leaves and bird nesting season has finished.
Each 5m section, planted at 6-7 plants per metre, tookone person on average 20-25 minutes to clear.
Ensure you have the Rainbow Bulk Bags in place for the waste before starting. Use a cover or closure to prevent the bags from spilling. Crushing spirals will reduce their bulk but may be time consuming.
Before starting clear the ground in front of the hedge of large woody debris to allow for easyaccess and reduce trip hazards (it helps if the hedge has not been recently cut or flailed).
Mark out five metre sections using pegs or coloured ribbon etc. Varying tasks helps with posture, e.g. by completing pre-marked five metre sections before standing, clearing any plastic removed, packing the waste then walking to the next section. This task requires a lot of kneeling and bending so it is not for those with stiff joints or bad backs.
A tub or similar container for easy collection of shards and broken spirals. Spirals exposed to the most sunlight (UV) can be brittle and shatter when removed requiring fingertip clearance of the area to remove all plastic shards from the soil. A rigid container kept close by for easy collection of small shards is essential.
Bin bags with a litter-picking ring to keep them open are also useful. Spirals that come off the whole can be tossed behind into the open to be collected upon standing up and put into bags
A small trowel, fork or knife is useful to dislodge plastic caught between stems or the bases of spirals that have become buried in the soil. Hazel (with its multiple stems) tends to trap the plastic spirals and make them difficult or impossible to remove completely.
A kneel mat is essential to protect knees from being punctured by thorns, particularly if the hedge has been flailed recently.
PPE: Full skin coverage is required – especially vulnerable areas are the lower back, hands, arms, head, and eyes. A cap as headwear, safety glasses (or sunglasses / normal glasses), and gloves that allow fine motor movement plus a kneel mat are all essential
Ensure all removed spirals have been picked up with a brief walk-over of the hedge line. Ensure bulk containers are in a stable, upright position and are covered or sealed to prevent spirals from spilling into the environment. NB: If moving the waste from a hedge to a storage or recycling facility you may need a waste transfer license. Please see the links on www.howardianhills.org.uk to the Gov.uk website for information regarding this.
Drop in your email for our team to get in touch with you for consultation.
Let us make this world greener together!
131 Cumberland Street Hull, HU2 0PP United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1482 616861
Email: info@rainbow.eu.com