Deer vs. Apple trees

[Mtsoxfan]

I have some older apple trees on their last legs, so I am slowly adding apple trees to replace them. They are in my yard, more like landscaping trees that produce apples. I went out today to do some pruning, and I find that deer (I think) have nibbled off some new growth branches. trees were planted last year, figured they were 2 years old. Is there any good way to deter the deer from nibbling without having to put a fence up? A fence would take away from the view, but if that is the best way, I'll just have to suck it up for a couple years until they are tall/big enough to survive the deer snacking on them.

I know people who have sprayed hostas with a cayanne mixture that works for deer, not sure if anyone has tried on an apple tree. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[ponytug]

Liquid fence is amazing, but of course it repels humans, too. (Read the label, but I think the prime ingredient is rotten eggs.) We have had good luck with one of the sprinklers that tags deer via IR motion detectors. I can't say that we have had much such with cayenne mixtures.

Perhaps planting browse farther out?

All the best, Peter

 

[kenmbz]

I cage my trees until they are tall enough for the deer not to reach.
They still grab peaches off one of my trees, and that's over 6' tall.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

What is your set up for the fencing? How far from trees? What style fencing?

 

[jmc]

I only had 3 newly planted apple trees in my yard to deal with and I just made a cage for each of them. IIRC, 20 ft lengths of rebar roll into a 6 ft diameter ring. An upper and lower rebar ring supported 2"x4" light wire fencing. By the time the trees outgrew the cages, they had also outgrown the deer.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Thanks, I have a roll of rebar roll, 4' tall, I think. My two trees are about 10' apart. I'll have to see how many feet unrolled, once snow melts enough for me to get to it.

 

[kenmbz]

Can use thicker welded wire (galvanized) too, staked down, without the rebar.
Need to mulch around tree to keep it clean from weeds.

Temporary can use anything about 7' tall with string at various heights, like t-post or cedar posts. But the cages were the only thing that slowed them down.

Even my garden is 7' t-posts with chicken wire to the top in galvanized raised beds, with the wire staked down (groundhogs!).

 

[jmc]

Thanks, I have a roll of rebar roll, 4' tall, I think. My two trees are about 10' apart. I'll have to see how many feet unrolled, once snow melts enough for me to get to it.

Thomas Edison said something to the effect that innovation is the combination of a little inspiration and a large junk pile.

Those cages are now hanging up in my barn trusses if you want a picture. The vertical rebar legs that press into the ground also act as stilts for the light fencing, because you don't need that fencing to extend all the way to the ground for deer.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have cages of concrete reinforcement wire that I put around my young trees. Rebar and chicken wire will work just as well.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I guess I used the wrong terminology, I have concrete reinforcement wire. I was hoping for something less "ugly" but if that's the best way, I'll do it. Thank you all.

 

[Mendonsy]

An electric fence works well also. Once they touch it they won't come back. I have had good luck with the 4' fiberglass posts and white fine tape from TSC.

 

[ning]

Some 5-6' tall fence wire, even light welded 2x4 pattern; use 25-30' to make a little fence around the tree.
With a tight circle of fence like that it'll be self-supporting without any poles.
I used short pieces of rebar - about 2' long with a hook bent in one end; use them as stakes, 4 to a tree. Pound it in a foot and have the hook grab the fence - doesn't need to grab at ground level, one or two wires up is fine.

The deer won't jump into such a small space, and they can't reach the tree from the fence.

 

[KennyG]

I put a fence around them for the first three or four years. I also spray with Bobex which I've found to be fairly effective if used regularly.

 

[goeduck]

I cage my trees until they are tall enough for the deer not to reach.
They still grab peaches off one of my trees, and that's over 6' tall.

I cage and prune fruit trees up until the lowest branches are above our Roosevelt Elk's nibbling height, before removing the cages. Roosevelt Elk are the largest of all elk, so deer are not an issue. Of course, I use larger root stock and pick from orchard ladders. Our elk are brutal on older trees (before our recent method) with lower branches. They literally bite onto the branches and pull/shake the trees until apples fall, always breaking off branches.

 

[fishheadbob]

Christmas tree growers like me have had success with a deer repellent called Trico. While pricey, one application keeps deer away for the winter. I would read the label to see if it has been approved for apples; its' main ingredients are sheep fat and lanolin so it is not particularly toxic.

 

[square1]

Saw someone that secured orange plastic snow fence from the top down on the exposed (estimate) 6' of t-post in a square around their trees. Don't know how well it worked, but they still had access to prune, spray, etc... by going under the fence while deer couldn't access the branches above.

 

[NorTracNY]

The solution will partially depend on how determined the deer are. If there's lots around for them to eat, they will avoid your trees with just a little deterrent. I found Irish Spring soap in some pantie hose was all I needed. I actually was finding rabbits nibbling at the bark along the ground was a problem. They just took a little wire fence around the trunk.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

This was a winter that had deep powder vs packed snow. For the last month and a half, I didn't see any deer movement, on my land or along the 2 1/2 mile dirt road towards the main road. It's been at least 3' deep, with drifts upwards of 6'. The damage must have been done early winter, or even late fall. My wife was feeding them vegetable scraps before the deep snow came. I love seeing the deer, they are free to eat any apples from the ancient trees. I guess I need to hold a deer orientation to my new trees, so they know they are off limits. There is usually plenty of food in the fields for deer to eat, this year was just a bit different.
I just need to find some metal stakes so I can use the concrete reinforcement, raising it up off the ground high enough to stop them.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I read in my apple tree pruning book that the author uses watered down white latex paint to deter insects. I guess the bright white hurts their eyes. I do have trucks wrapped to stop rascially rabbits.

 

[kenmbz]

I see white a lot, and sometimes sticky tape .
I have some wrap on a few shorter japanese maples to deter bugs.
Probably should do that on my Apples, pears and peaches too ...