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Protecting small trees from rubbing

Nrharris

PMA Member
I have a young windbreak in my yard that I have struggled to keep deer from rubbing each year. I think the trees are 3 years old now. At least some of them are. Every year I have tried something different to keep the deer from rubbing them and nothing has worked so far. Tried the repellents and tried an electric fence around the whole thing and neither has worked. I have about 60 trees to protect and it is getting expensive to replant a fourth of them each year. I figured somebody here might have something that will work. Keep in mind I still would like to mow around this. The trees are arborvitaes and norway and white spruce.
 
You could cover as much of the tree with this material, it expands as the tree gets older.

This is an apple tree, but works for any...
 
Sorry I missed the last part on spruce... cage might be your only option?
How tough do cages need to be for them to leave them alone? Curious on height and gauge of welded wire? And will one post per tree keep them out or does it take two or three?
 
How tough do cages need to be for them to leave them alone? Curious on height and gauge of welded wire? And will one post per tree keep them out or does it take two or three?

I usually do one post...with a metal stake on other side. Apple trees I’ll fortify it more.
 
I cage all new trees. I use 4' or 5' tall welded wire fencing. You can get 100 feet at home depot/menards for about $70. My trees are hardwoods so I don't need as much diameter as a spruce. I use 1 stake to secure it.

I have installed about 300 in the last couple years. So far only 1 has been beat up by a buck and I think he just got an antler hooked on it and then bent it up to get away.

I cut mine to 5' length for hardwoods, 10 feet lengths should be good for spruce
Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to go a little longer yet so by the time the trees outgrow the fence they will be big enough they leave them alone.
 
Done hundreds of trees.
My advice is to make the cage bigger than you think you need it!
I've done many cages and always have to end up making them bigger as they grow. So basically doing it more than once and more. I have one area where I have 75 pines and just did 1 huge continuous cage. I have to make it taller now as deer jump it and eat the Norway's in a tough winter.
 
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