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RichInTheUSA
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 08:07pm
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I'm thinking about planting about 6 or so apple trees on my cabin property, but it's mostly woods and I have lots of deer.
Would planing trees without a some sort of "game fence" around it just be a waste of money?
There are apple orchards in the area (about a mile away), which are not fenced... but then again, they have many 100's of trees.
Any insight or experience?
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Gary O
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 08:51pm
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better be a good fence
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 09:49pm
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The apple orchard down the way may also have dogs that keep them away. Deer fences are not an assurance that deer won't get in, they are just a deterent. A hungry deer can jump a 10 foot fence if determined enough. But if you won't be there with your pooch to discourage the deer, its probably your only hope of keeping the trees alive.
I plan to put up 10 foot posts with 8 foot game wire and additional wire above the game mesh. I read that for a deer to jump they need three things- a place to jump from, they need to see what they are jumping over, and they need to see a clear landing spot. I plan to try to deprive them of the first and last.
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hattie
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2014 12:46am
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Deer will destroy young apple trees (so will bears). You can cage each individual tree. Don't use plantskydd as it will attract the bears (it is blood). We have had luck tying pieces of fabric softener sheets to the trees but you must replace them after rain and you should change up the scents you use. We have also had some luck using ammonia placed in pop bottles hung from the trees. It evaporates pretty quickly and again if it gets diluted in rain, it isn't effective.
I would try caging the young trees. You will need to make your cages pretty substantial though. Anything flimsy won't work.
Out here many neighbours have electric fences. We learned by accident that if we just hang a string around an area we don't want deer, they stay away. I guess they think it is an electric fence.
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 29 Sep 2014 06:32am
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2" x 4" ( grid) wire fence ... at least 8 foot HIGH --individual round cages to keep them out while the trees are young.
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spence
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# Posted: 9 Apr 2015 10:02pm - Edited by: spence
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I tried this with my first 2 trees, they didn't last a season with the deer in my area. I have 9 in the ground now in individual rings, that have stayed mostly protected. This summer I will be fencing in a few acres for the expanding orchard.
I hoped I could get by without it but it really doesnt pay off.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 9 Apr 2015 11:16pm - Edited by: Don_P
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The first 30 fruit trees, my inheritance from Grandad, individually caged with T posts and reinforcing wire, they pushed the cages over and browsed to death. For fences now I saw 12' locust 6x6's and put 3' down and 9'up. That has been working but it sure isn't fun to work on. If they ever establish a browsing habit it is harder to deter them although frequent applications of lead does seem to help a little... but you can't eat em fast enough in reality. Actually, one tree of that first batch made it, an asian pear, they have never touched it.
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:10am
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Agree with all these guys with the 8 foot high fence on very solid post. Lot of work, but that is the only way your trees will grow to maturity and produce apples. When you start producing apples, you will not be able to keep the deer away without maintaining the fences. Its like free candy to the kids, the deer tell every other deer and here they come. Apples are a preferred food and will be eaten first.
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old greybeard
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# Posted: 10 Apr 2015 07:24am
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I've had good luck with t posts and 4 ft high fence. Been over 10 years and haven't lost a tree. Just wish they would grow faster as my soil is rocky and poor. I think us being at camp alot with 2 dogs, and the fact the trees are close to the cabin help deter the deer. But getting apples and peaches. No many but enough for a pie or two. I planted at home the same time, and those trees are 5x as big. But I get no fruit at home as the squirrels eat the fruit when its young.
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 10 Apr 2015 07:26am
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Thanks for this subject discussion. I too would like to get some apple trees going. Although I don't have enough deer and would like the trees to be a food source for them in the future. There's still enough deer to make this a challenge.
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bowtie1
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# Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:39pm
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We have a crab apple tree on our property planted by the previous owner, Although we have a fair amount of deer and sign's of bears the tree has been fine the two years we have owned the property. I guess we have just been lucky. planning a couple of more fruit tree's this year.
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