Quick verdict
Eight 15 gallon baskets of 304 stainless mesh, with gloves, that line the planting hole of a fruit tree, large shrub or rose so gophers and voles cannot reach the roots from below. Fifteen gallons is the size for trees and big shrubs where 3 and 5 gallon baskets are too small, and 304 stainless outlasts galvanized wire that rusts through just as the tree matures. The rim must stand above the soil or gophers climb in over it.
Strengths
- Fifteen gallon size suits fruit trees and large shrubs
- Grade 304 stainless lasts the life of the planting
- Flexible mesh shapes to the hole and folds for storage
- Eight baskets plant an orchard row
- Gloves included for handling the cut mesh
Weaknesses
- Large baskets mean large holes
- Rim must be left above grade or it is bypassed
- Mesh edges are sharp; use the gloves
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Protecting the Trees That Matter Most
A gopher can kill a young fruit tree in a night by eating its roots from below, and a tree is years of investment. A wire basket around the root ball at planting is the one reliable defence. Froidesente’s baskets are 15 gallon, the size for trees and large shrubs, in 304 stainless mesh that does not rust, eight to a pack with gloves for handling the cut edges.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how root guard baskets perform against gophers and voles generally. We have not planted with these baskets ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Size
Three and 5 gallon baskets suit perennials and shrubs. A fruit tree planted from a 5 gallon pot has a root system three times that size within two years, and a small basket either constricts it or leaves the spreading roots exposed. Fifteen gallons protects the crown and main roots through the years when gopher damage is fatal.
Stainless
Galvanized gopher wire is the cheap standard and rusts through in damp soil in three to five years, exactly when the tree is established and worth most. Grade 304 stainless lasts as long as the tree. For a planting you expect to keep for decades the difference is worth the price.
Planting
Dig the hole wider than the basket, set the basket in and shape it to the sides, backfill a few inches, set the tree with its graft union above grade, fill and firm. Fold the mesh rim up so 2 inches stands above the soil; gophers that cannot dig in will climb over a buried rim. Mulch around the rim, not over it.
Roots
Feeder roots grow out through the mesh freely and the tree establishes normally. Years later the main roots may press against the basket; by then the tree is big enough that a gopher nibbling an outer root is not fatal.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone planting fruit trees in gopher country.
- Owners of large shrubs and roses that have been lost from below.
- Orchard and landscape installers who want baskets in quantity.
Common Owner Complaints
Large holes to dig and sharp mesh edges. The hole is the size of the protection; wear the gloves.
Technique Tips
Shape the basket in the hole before the tree goes in, pressing the mesh against the walls so there are no folds for roots to catch on. Water the planting hole once with the basket in place and the tree set to settle soil against the mesh, then finish backfilling. Mark basket positions on a garden plan so a future spade knows what it will hit.
Alternatives to Consider
Noamus 3 and 5 gallon stainless baskets for smaller plants. Galvanized gopher wire by the roll for lining whole beds. Trapping to reduce the population alongside baskets.
Verdict
For fruit trees and big shrubs in gopher country, a 15 gallon stainless basket at planting is the protection that lasts the life of the tree. Leave the rim proud, plant properly and stop losing trees.
Full specifications
Froidesente 8-Pack 15 Gallon 304 Stainless Steel Gopher and Vole Root Guard Baskets with Gloves FAQs
A fruit tree from a 5 gallon pot grows a root ball far larger within a few years. A 15 gallon basket gives room for the main roots and protects the crown while feeder roots grow out through the mesh.
Dig the hole, set the basket, backfill a little, set the tree so the graft union is above grade, fill and firm, and fold the basket rim up so 2 inches stands above the soil.
Fine roots pass through 304 mesh freely. The main roots of a large tree may eventually meet the basket; by then the tree is established and can tolerate some root loss to gophers.
Galvanized wire rusts through in wet soil in three to five years. 304 stainless does not.
