I use 4 metal t-posts with the 5' fencing. That allows me to hang the fence 6 to 8 inches above the ground so I can weed whack under the fence to deter voles . I also use a carabineer or metal snap to close the fence. Easy in and out. I use 2' hardware cloth around the base to protect from voles & rabbits. Keep it wide so it doesn't rub the tree durings high winds. A .22 and live traps are also in the mix for varmints. When the tree gets big enough I remove the hardware cloth and paint the trunk with a mix of equal parts latex paint, water, and drywall spackling. Works like a charm. I also prune my trees to grow a single trunk up to the height of the fence (gradually) and then keep branches above that. Eventually I can remove the fence. For younger trees above fence-hieght without a fence, in the fall I wrap the trunk with deerblock fencing, hung from a string attached to lower branches to protect against buck rubs. A .308 and a broadhead are used in the mix too. When the trees are big, the deer eat the drops and I eat the deer. It works. I used to hate the deer, now I really like them... with Montreal seasoning. Enjoy your fruit! And deer. 😃
i nearly spit the water out of my mouth when you talked about making the cage the right size right away! My wife tells me that all the time!! however talk about work, after i planted 15 white pines and 25 apple trees i made small cages and she told me make them big enough, however i was tired and said blankity blank blank blank. knowing the whole time she was right and now i have to spend another day making bigger tree cages. I have had all the failures and successes you have talked about, actually every detail! i buy my plastic tree wraps from AM Lenard, the cheapest i have found. i cannot tell how many trees i have lost before i started putting on the wrappers. infact i lost a nice young willow this winter because i was to lazy to go back to the house to get one last wrapper. arrrgh my stubbornness:) excellent and informative!
Thanks for this! I’m in ireland and will planting 2x apple trees and around 60 mixed native trees (all very young) in January/February. We have a big deer problem so need individual tree protection and will also fence off an area too. Trying to do this right but on a budget, thanks for all the great tips!
I use black corrugated drain pipe around the trunk of my trees and leave it on. They are 4 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 to 2 feet long and I slice them lengthwise so you can put it on and off the truck easily. It also protects the tree from weed eater damage and sun scald.
Another great video. 10' half inch conduit cut in half makes great cheap stakes for fencing trees in. also if you pull the blossoms off young trees they'll grow out of reach of hungry deer faster
+Matt Shimmel good point about the blossoms. I do keep the youngest ones from blossoming so the tree gets the energy, not fruit. Very good point. The conduit is a good idea too. Or rebar I suppose. Both would last longer than the wood lol.
You have one of the most practical channels around. I see you on the same level as Wrangler Star as far as good useful and easily understood information goes. I wish I had seen this last year, because the three new apple trees we planted were nearly decimated by the deer in late winter. Luckily enough remained that they are making a come back and we suspect with this intervention we will be able to help them grow and thrive. Thanks again for an excellent and very helpful video.
That's what I use for my trees now too. Pricy but really easy to work with. I don't even zip tie them, I just use the wire itself to "close the door" in a matter of speaking. If you wrap it relatively tight around the TPost it holds great and it's easy to open up for pruning etc.
So glad I found your video! You are a great presenter and teacher 😊. I just bought my first apple trees (Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Fuji). Lots of deer. I will use your method for sure I am not going to like having to push mow inside. 😂
we grow several fruit trees for deer, usually these trees we start branches at 6 feet that way you don;t need large cages. Also latex paint good for sunburn on trees but does not stop rodents from chewing on bark. We use interior latex paint mixed 50/50 with water and paint trunk up to 4 feet high
Here is a quick tip .. sorry for length but it helps to give the background. i raise chickens, not a huge flock, only 8. I live in a very rural area with a lot of predators - coyotes, raccoons, possums, groundhogs, and several predatory birds. When I built my chicken coop and run I used a solar electric fence around it because of the predators. I also had game cameras set up near that area which was a favorite place for deer to come out of the woods that made an L shape into an open field. The chicken coop and run is within 15 feet of that L. One thing I noticed was that almost immediately the deer avoided that chicken coop and would swing wide to get around it. I don't know that any of them were ever shocked by the electric fence but it was obvious they didn't like it. When I planted some apple trees in early spring, as soon as the rut started in the fall nearly every one of them were uprooted. As a quick fix, I replanted them and used mobile electric fence posts that you step on to set them in the ground spaced about 4 feet from the tree to form a square. I then ran uncharged electric fence wire in 3 strands around that square. The deer haven't messed with the apple trees since. So somehow deer know what electric fence looks like and even though it is uncharged, they leave all of my fruit trees alone.
also, ditto on my garden and blueberry bushes btw ... same idea. They wont even try to jump the electric fence that is uncharged to get in the garden ... even with corn in it.
+Ed Wiget yeah they're nervous about it if they're not trying to get corn or berries! Isn't that something? Thanks for sharing that. And thanks for watching!
Great video. I’m going to be following your advice on four apple trees that I will be planting today. I like your suggestions and the reasoning behind it.
As always, great information! Thank you! My daughter and I planted 20 fruit trees/bushes (including apple trees) this earth day. 12 hour day. One thing I learned is that you have to make sure the apple trees have a suitable fruit tree to pollinate the apple tree. Apparently, crab apple trees are perfect for apple trees. Who knew....
+Ron Fazio crabs are awesome. Yeah you do have to have pollinators. From what I gather, early-season apples will pollinate other early-season apples, late-season apples will pollinate other late-season apples, and so on. It's kind of a neat science. I really have enjoyed learning about the trees and I'm glad you appreciate this stuff. I really hope your trees do well!
Great video! You know what you are talking about. We plant trees using grant funds and we have found the best caging is 2x4x5 ft, 14 gauge welded wire, just as you say. Otherwise, the deer feast when no one is looking. Thinner wire does not hold up as well.
Also - your advice to wear gloves likely saved me several gashes in my hand. Those cages can be unruly when you first start to unroll them and poked into my gloves multiple times - my hands would've been bloody without them.
i have heard that latex paint mixed with hot pepper flakes discourages loss of bark by varmints I agree with Matt Shimmel who suggested half inch conduit capping the top will keep rain water from rusting the inside out .and they can be cheaper then regular fence posts
Self-standing cages is THE best way to protect small fruit trees. As the trees outgrow the cages you can combine the cages to make bigger cages. I used 6' diameter cages. (One or two sturdy stakes will keep it anchored. Wind blowing the cage over will cause serious damage to the tree, so stake as needed.) Trees with upward growth will fit well. Trees with "weak" wood, that grow more outwardly may need a large diameter at some point. Good apples for deer can still be good eating apples. Just plant apple trees that hold their fruit long into the Fall like Rome, Golden Russett, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Shizuka, Jonagold, and Jonathan. All of these are excellent eating apples but also are not prone to dropping when ripe. Install vinyl wraps each September. I have had 10 year old trees killed by rabbits girding them because I forgot to protect them one winter. That's a lot of time, expense, and work wasted. After the trees outgrow their cages, wrap the trunk in 1/4" wire mesh 30" to 36" tall to protect against damage by deer and small animal. This mesh can be kept on all year around, removing it only to prune out suckers and branches that may grow inside the cage. Great video, Rich. Spot on with the information.
+Prof.Kent thanks for this, I have not gotten to the point of needing a wire mesh yet but that was my plan. It doesn't have to be on there as tight as the wrappers either, just enough to keep the rabbits out from under it and discourage bucks I suppose. That way, yes, I can leave it on year round and let the tree grow because there will be room for it. Glad to hear it. Thanks again and thanks for watching!
We have about a dozen apple trees on our property of various varieties. We have used wire cages to keep deer out and the deer really like to nip off the fresh growth if they are able. We lost a new tree a couple years ago to a buck that rubbed the tree literally, to death.
+Wayne Patton that's a problem for sure! I guess we have to wrap the trunks with chicken wire or something to keep the bucks from rubbing them. I don't have to worry about that until I take the cages off. That day will come. Glad to hear you have some surviving trees and thanks for watching!
PORCUPINES? Here in central Maine, I have planted many apple trees and use the same fencing method as you in my food plots. It does not stop a porcupine (if) there are apples on the tree in the fall. They will eat what's on the ground and then climb up and then eat in the tree, then when it cant reach the apples on the weaker braches - it lops off the braches and climbs down and feast on its destruction. I've had my best trees pruned nearly to the trunk. I've declared war on the porcupines and devoted much time to ridding my property of them. It has been all in vain. But I finally have beaten them. I place 16-24" in length stove pipe (loosely )around the trunk of tree and suspend the loose pipe off the ground with wire tied to the pipe and a low branch on apple tree. The key is to get the pipe high enough so the porker cant reach above it and hoist himself with his front claws. so its ok to have 10-12" between the ground and the pipe. I have pics to send you if you want but at this point I'm not sure how I would send them to you.Apple trees are the best in food plots but man are they a lot of work. everything wants to destroy them so all options are on the table.I enjoy your videos - They are some wicked goodEd from maine
+Ed Baird hey thanks for the compliment and the advice. I have recently had a big porcupine on a trail cam pic. So who knows!? I'll keep that in mind and maybe stove pipe will be used. Thanks and thanks for watching!
I use those types of fence but I also put an orange plastic material with smaller hole around it because the deer and stick their head in their and reach the branches
another thing to look into save some time find crabapple and hawthorn trees growing wild and graft apple and pear branches on to them, then you have a established tree growing the fruit you want
Thanks for this great video....very easy to follow and watch. I am planting two apple trees over the next 48 hrs. In the fall just confirm you prune them? What is the proper way to prune and mulch them? What is the name or type of wrap do you use on the trunk and how high do you go up? Should you water once a day in the spring and more in the summer. Summer days where I am run in the high 80's to 90's and a few 100 days? Thanks so much. Great video Ron
I answer a lot of those questions in my other apple tree videos. Check those out! As for watering, if it is not too much work to do, and you think they need some water, go for it!
I want to start planting apple trees, but my mother is (being a gardener herself) is pretty skeptical. Does will this method really work? Anyhow, a very detailed video. Nice to watch.
From what I have read, painting can help prevent cracking from temperature changes and stuff like that, but I don't think it will deter rodents from chewing on the bark. The wrappers really do that well. When the trees get older, you have to worry about deer rubbing their antlers on the trunk. So some kind of wrapper or cage is usually a good idea.
Do deer try to get through this fence? I just replicated what you did but with 2 posts. I'm wondering if I should add 2 more for added stability. Any help would be appreciated ! Great video!
Will a Jonathon red std and a red delicious cross pollinate ok or what varieties do u recommend planting side by side? I want apple trees for deer to eat when their mature.
best i can do is suggest this chart: bit.ly/2zz8Pr9 i hope that helps. i have to replace a few this spring so i'll probably do a video on this topic, too. good luck!
Great video. I have a problem with deer but the moose really cause havoc. I'm going to try this this spring at my camp. But i think I will use rebar ties and metal posts. New subscriber. Great videos.
On my property, which my wife named "Endless Horizons" we have many fruit trees that my late father planted nearly thirty years ago... My father, who was an avid hunter and conservationist, also planted the fruit trees for the wildlife... Today the trees only stand no higher than ten feet tall... The deer love to nibble on them through spring and summer... In the fall and winter the deer move to the century old white oaks...
The apple trees have become self sufficient... In Southington, Ohio where I live our apple trees have only produced once in the last three years... The nut trees have never produced more than the deer feeding on them in the spring and summer season... In all, I prefer to let the deer prune the trees... After all these years I have finally figured out why our fruit and nut trees are so short...
I run a fruit and nut orchard and I've constructed similar protective cages out of 5' concrete reinforcement mesh (remesh) from home improvement stores. The remesh wire can be as thick as 6 gauge, so it is a little more difficult to cut than the small stuff, but with a bigger mesh size there are fewer cuts to make. I make the cuts with a metal cutting wheel in a die grinder or 4" electric grinder. Remesh just makes a more sturdy cage, and at about $135 for a 150' roll they are very cost-effective. I tend to make my cages about 40" or so in diameter, as the trees are full-size root stock (not dwarf or semi-dwarf); my goal is to protect them until they exceed deer (and moose, here in northern Maine) browse level. The remesh cages are sufficiently sturdy to be able to be staked with a four-foot length of 1/2" or 3/4" metal conduit, and I can stack two 5' sections, with a 2' overlap, into about 8' of deer and moose protection. Zip ties are inexpensive, strong, and easy to work with. Thanks for the video!
+Capt. Shaffer ahhh not a bad idea! Come to think of it I've had rigid plastic snow fence that might work (but some plastic ones are way to flimsy) thanks!
I use 4 metal t-posts with the 5' fencing. That allows me to hang the fence 6 to 8 inches above the ground so I can weed whack under the fence to deter voles . I also use a carabineer or metal snap to close the fence. Easy in and out.
I use 2' hardware cloth around the base to protect from voles & rabbits. Keep it wide so it doesn't rub the tree durings high winds. A .22 and live traps are also in the mix for varmints. When the tree gets big enough I remove the hardware cloth and paint the trunk with a mix of equal parts latex paint, water, and drywall spackling. Works like a charm.
I also prune my trees to grow a single trunk up to the height of the fence (gradually) and then keep branches above that. Eventually I can remove the fence. For younger trees above fence-hieght without a fence, in the fall I wrap the trunk with deerblock fencing, hung from a string attached to lower branches to protect against buck rubs. A .308 and a broadhead are used in the mix too.
When the trees are big, the deer eat the drops and I eat the deer. It works. I used to hate the deer, now I really like them... with Montreal seasoning.
Enjoy your fruit!
And deer. 😃
i nearly spit the water out of my mouth when you talked about making the cage the right size right away! My wife tells me that all the time!! however talk about work, after i planted 15 white pines and 25 apple trees i made small cages and she told me make them big enough, however i was tired and said blankity blank blank blank. knowing the whole time she was right and now i have to spend another day making bigger tree cages. I have had all the failures and successes you have talked about, actually every detail! i buy my plastic tree wraps from AM Lenard, the cheapest i have found. i cannot tell how many trees i have lost before i started putting on the wrappers. infact i lost a nice young willow this winter because i was to lazy to go back to the house to get one last wrapper. arrrgh my stubbornness:) excellent and informative!
+outofcontrol nice to hear I'm not the only one lol. Thanks for the tip on the wrappers! That's a lot of trees, good luck with them!
that's a voice made for radio
Thanks for this! I’m in ireland and will planting 2x apple trees and around 60 mixed native trees (all very young) in January/February. We have a big deer problem so need individual tree protection and will also fence off an area too. Trying to do this right but on a budget, thanks for all the great tips!
I use black corrugated drain pipe around the trunk of my trees and leave it on. They are 4 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 to 2 feet long and I slice them lengthwise so you can put it on and off the truck easily. It also protects the tree from weed eater damage and sun scald.
Ahhh good point on the Sun scald too
Another great video. 10' half inch conduit cut in half makes great cheap stakes for fencing trees in. also if you pull the blossoms off young trees they'll grow out of reach of hungry deer faster
+Matt Shimmel good point about the blossoms. I do keep the youngest ones from blossoming so the tree gets the energy, not fruit. Very good point. The conduit is a good idea too. Or rebar I suppose. Both would last longer than the wood lol.
Excellent presentation! A pleasure to listen and watch.
Concise and direct. Much appreciated
You have one of the most practical channels around. I see you on the same level as Wrangler Star as far as good useful and easily understood information goes. I wish I had seen this last year, because the three new apple trees we planted were nearly decimated by the deer in late winter. Luckily enough remained that they are making a come back and we suspect with this intervention we will be able to help them grow and thrive. Thanks again for an excellent and very helpful video.
+med1pilot1956 great to hear they survived, yeah live and learn. I sure have my share of trial and error! Thanks for watching and the compliment!
That's what I use for my trees now too. Pricy but really easy to work with. I don't even zip tie them, I just use the wire itself to "close the door" in a matter of speaking. If you wrap it relatively tight around the TPost it holds great and it's easy to open up for pruning etc.
So glad I found your video! You are a great presenter and teacher 😊. I just bought my first apple trees (Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Fuji). Lots of deer. I will use your method for sure I am not going to like having to push mow inside. 😂
we grow several fruit trees for deer, usually these trees we start branches at 6 feet that way you don;t need large cages. Also latex paint good for sunburn on trees but does not stop rodents from chewing on bark. We use interior latex paint mixed 50/50 with water and paint trunk up to 4 feet high
Here is a quick tip .. sorry for length but it helps to give the background. i raise chickens, not a huge flock, only 8. I live in a very rural area with a lot of predators - coyotes, raccoons, possums, groundhogs, and several predatory birds. When I built my chicken coop and run I used a solar electric fence around it because of the predators. I also had game cameras set up near that area which was a favorite place for deer to come out of the woods that made an L shape into an open field. The chicken coop and run is within 15 feet of that L. One thing I noticed was that almost immediately the deer avoided that chicken coop and would swing wide to get around it. I don't know that any of them were ever shocked by the electric fence but it was obvious they didn't like it. When I planted some apple trees in early spring, as soon as the rut started in the fall nearly every one of them were uprooted. As a quick fix, I replanted them and used mobile electric fence posts that you step on to set them in the ground spaced about 4 feet from the tree to form a square. I then ran uncharged electric fence wire in 3 strands around that square. The deer haven't messed with the apple trees since. So somehow deer know what electric fence looks like and even though it is uncharged, they leave all of my fruit trees alone.
also, ditto on my garden and blueberry bushes btw ... same idea. They wont even try to jump the electric fence that is uncharged to get in the garden ... even with corn in it.
+Ed Wiget yeah they're nervous about it if they're not trying to get corn or berries! Isn't that something? Thanks for sharing that. And thanks for watching!
Great video. I’m going to be following your advice on four apple trees that I will be planting today. I like your suggestions and the reasoning behind it.
As always, great information! Thank you! My daughter and I planted 20 fruit trees/bushes (including apple trees) this earth day. 12 hour day. One thing I learned is that you have to make sure the apple trees have a suitable fruit tree to pollinate the apple tree. Apparently, crab apple trees are perfect for apple trees. Who knew....
+Ron Fazio crabs are awesome. Yeah you do have to have pollinators. From what I gather, early-season apples will pollinate other early-season apples, late-season apples will pollinate other late-season apples, and so on. It's kind of a neat science. I really have enjoyed learning about the trees and I'm glad you appreciate this stuff. I really hope your trees do well!
Great video! You know what you are talking about. We plant trees using grant funds and we have found the best caging is 2x4x5 ft, 14 gauge welded wire, just as you say. Otherwise, the deer feast when no one is looking. Thinner wire does not hold up as well.
Thanks, I agree, might as well spend the money up front
Thanks for sharing! Especially your thoughts on not using the easy button deer fence.
Would love to see a tour of your Orchard and hear what varieties you chose and why.
Buds are swelling, maybe I will do that in the near future
Ever had them jump inside? That's my concern about going too big.
No but I can imagine
These are AMAZING tips, thank you.
Also - your advice to wear gloves likely saved me several gashes in my hand. Those cages can be unruly when you first start to unroll them and poked into my gloves multiple times - my hands would've been bloody without them.
I agree man same here, mind of its own haha
i have heard that latex paint mixed with hot pepper flakes discourages loss of bark by varmints I agree with Matt Shimmel who suggested half inch conduit capping the top will keep rain water from rusting the inside out .and they can be cheaper then regular fence posts
Will keep rainwater from rusting the inside out of wooden stakes or T-posts?
Well done!! I have learned...Thank You!!
Self-standing cages is THE best way to protect small fruit trees. As the trees outgrow the cages you can combine the cages to make bigger cages. I used 6' diameter cages. (One or two sturdy stakes will keep it anchored. Wind blowing the cage over will cause serious damage to the tree, so stake as needed.) Trees with upward growth will fit well. Trees with "weak" wood, that grow more outwardly may need a large diameter at some point.
Good apples for deer can still be good eating apples. Just plant apple trees that hold their fruit long into the Fall like Rome, Golden Russett, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Shizuka, Jonagold, and Jonathan. All of these are excellent eating apples but also are not prone to dropping when ripe.
Install vinyl wraps each September. I have had 10 year old trees killed by rabbits girding them because I forgot to protect them one winter. That's a lot of time, expense, and work wasted.
After the trees outgrow their cages, wrap the trunk in 1/4" wire mesh 30" to 36" tall to protect against damage by deer and small animal. This mesh can be kept on all year around, removing it only to prune out suckers and branches that may grow inside the cage.
Great video, Rich. Spot on with the information.
+Prof.Kent thanks for this, I have not gotten to the point of needing a wire mesh yet but that was my plan. It doesn't have to be on there as tight as the wrappers either, just enough to keep the rabbits out from under it and discourage bucks I suppose. That way, yes, I can leave it on year round and let the tree grow because there will be room for it. Glad to hear it. Thanks again and thanks for watching!
We have about a dozen apple trees on our property of various varieties. We have used wire cages to keep deer out and the deer really like to nip off the fresh growth if they are able. We lost a new tree a couple years ago to a buck that rubbed the tree literally, to death.
+Wayne Patton that's a problem for sure! I guess we have to wrap the trunks with chicken wire or something to keep the bucks from rubbing them. I don't have to worry about that until I take the cages off. That day will come. Glad to hear you have some surviving trees and thanks for watching!
1/4" wire mesh works great.
PORCUPINES? Here in central Maine, I have planted many apple trees and use the same fencing method as you in my food plots. It does not stop a porcupine (if) there are apples on the tree in the fall. They will eat what's on the ground and then climb up and then eat in the tree, then when it cant reach the apples on the weaker braches - it lops off the braches and climbs down and feast on its destruction. I've had my best trees pruned nearly to the trunk. I've declared war on the porcupines and devoted much time to ridding my property of them. It has been all in vain. But I finally have beaten them. I place 16-24" in length stove pipe (loosely )around the trunk of tree and suspend the loose pipe off the ground with wire tied to the pipe and a low branch on apple tree. The key is to get the pipe high enough so the porker cant reach above it and hoist himself with his front claws. so its ok to have 10-12" between the ground and the pipe. I have pics to send you if you want but at this point I'm not sure how I would send them to you.Apple trees are the best in food plots but man are they a lot of work. everything wants to destroy them so all options are on the table.I enjoy your videos - They are some wicked goodEd from maine
+Ed Baird hey thanks for the compliment and the advice. I have recently had a big porcupine on a trail cam pic. So who knows!? I'll keep that in mind and maybe stove pipe will be used. Thanks and thanks for watching!
KIX!! Love your shirt.. Great video.
Super helpful video. Thank you.
New sub. New to trees. Great info. Informative. Thank you.
I use those types of fence but I also put an orange plastic material with smaller hole around it because the deer and stick their head in their and reach the branches
another thing to look into save some time find crabapple and hawthorn trees growing wild and graft apple and pear branches on to them, then you have a established tree growing the fruit you want
Great ideas thanks!
Thanks for this great video....very easy to follow and watch. I am planting two apple trees over the next 48 hrs. In the fall just confirm you prune them? What is the proper way to prune and mulch them? What is the name or type of wrap do you use on the trunk and how high do you go up? Should you water once a day in the spring and more in the summer. Summer days where I am run in the high 80's to 90's and a few 100 days? Thanks so much. Great video Ron
I answer a lot of those questions in my other apple tree videos. Check those out! As for watering, if it is not too much work to do, and you think they need some water, go for it!
I want to start planting apple trees, but my mother is (being a gardener herself) is pretty skeptical. Does will this method really work? Anyhow, a very detailed video. Nice to watch.
Great vid brother,thnxs for the advice.
You can get a three pack of small carabiners for a dollar that will keep the cages secure. Easy to open and close back up.
Man thats a great idea
What about painting the trunks with white latex instead of wraps? Will it suffice?
From what I have read, painting can help prevent cracking from temperature changes and stuff like that, but I don't think it will deter rodents from chewing on the bark. The wrappers really do that well. When the trees get older, you have to worry about deer rubbing their antlers on the trunk. So some kind of wrapper or cage is usually a good idea.
Excellent
Well, 5 years later, February 2023, that 5'x50' wire fencing now is double your cost, it's now roughly $100 per 50' roll. Unbelievable...
Everything's going up that's for sure
I'm glad I kept all those cages that I made, I've got piles of them but they're good to have around that's for sure
Do deer try to get through this fence? I just replicated what you did but with 2 posts. I'm wondering if I should add 2 more for added stability. Any help would be appreciated ! Great video!
Probably should add some posts if they are pushing in on the wire fencing. It seems like some years they do and some years they don't.
I purchased and planted 30 blood orange trees this year. It's a hella learning curve, lol.
I hear that! Hopefully all pays off long run
@@Deathbybunjie I should have took your advice and planted a bigger cage.
How long until your trees outgrow something like this?
Probably once the branches get too tall and if the deer can't reach them you can just take them off, I'd say age 6?
$100 @ 50 ft now.
Will a Jonathon red std and a red delicious cross pollinate ok or what varieties do u recommend planting side by side? I want apple trees for deer to eat when their mature.
best i can do is suggest this chart: bit.ly/2zz8Pr9 i hope that helps. i have to replace a few this spring so i'll probably do a video on this topic, too. good luck!
great tips as always!
+Working Class Outdoors thanks and thanks for watching as always LOL
How’s these trees doing now? Been 5 years. Thanks Rich
Calvin good to hear from you! Some have died, some doing GREAT though, AND a video on that coming next Friday with an update 😀 hope all is well!
@@Deathbybunjie yes I’m good. Glad to see yha comment back.
Go get em this season. Crossbow in action……
Great video. I have a problem with deer but the moose really cause havoc. I'm going to try this this spring at my camp. But i think I will use rebar ties and metal posts. New subscriber. Great videos.
+Knowlton North not a bad idea and good luck! Thanks for watching!
On my property, which my wife named "Endless Horizons" we have many fruit trees that my late father planted nearly thirty years ago... My father, who was an avid hunter and conservationist, also planted the fruit trees for the wildlife... Today the trees only stand no higher than ten feet tall... The deer love to nibble on them through spring and summer... In the fall and winter the deer move to the century old white oaks...
Sounds like a great place! I wish you the best there. Do you do anything special to protect the apple trees or are they pretty self sufficient now?
The apple trees have become self sufficient... In Southington, Ohio where I live our apple trees have only produced once in the last three years... The nut trees have never produced more than the deer feeding on them in the spring and summer season... In all, I prefer to let the deer prune the trees... After all these years I have finally figured out why our fruit and nut trees are so short...
+Endless Horizons lol still great that you've got some good tree selection. Hope this is a good year for you and your trees!
Prune and thin your young tree, keep the top under control.
I run a fruit and nut orchard and I've constructed similar protective cages out of 5' concrete reinforcement mesh (remesh) from home improvement stores. The remesh wire can be as thick as 6 gauge, so it is a little more difficult to cut than the small stuff, but with a bigger mesh size there are fewer cuts to make. I make the cuts with a metal cutting wheel in a die grinder or 4" electric grinder. Remesh just makes a more sturdy cage, and at about $135 for a 150' roll they are very cost-effective. I tend to make my cages about 40" or so in diameter, as the trees are full-size root stock (not dwarf or semi-dwarf); my goal is to protect them until they exceed deer (and moose, here in northern Maine) browse level. The remesh cages are sufficiently sturdy to be able to be staked with a four-foot length of 1/2" or 3/4" metal conduit, and I can stack two 5' sections, with a 2' overlap, into about 8' of deer and moose protection. Zip ties are inexpensive, strong, and easy to work with. Thanks for the video!
thanks for this comment and thanks for watching!
I have used wooden snow fence with good success
+Capt. Shaffer ahhh not a bad idea! Come to think of it I've had rigid plastic snow fence that might work (but some plastic ones are way to flimsy) thanks!
What was that at the end of the video, a dragonfly?
+rshotrod1965 lol not sure but it looked like one
Any knowledge about koyote pee put around
Probably would work but it seems like more trouble than this... probably attracts coyotes too LOL
Where do you live?
Northeast PA
Looks like you know what your doing. Great job. If you ever need any trees check us out Hallman Farms Wildlife Nursery.
Electric. Fence.
Don't close your eyes! Don't close your I-e-eyes!
yeah, yeah, yeah! lol