Dwarf Chinkapin Oak protection?

[pointer]

I have a couple of standard chinkapins on my place and am interested in planting some of the dwarfs. Due to their, often, multi-stemmed, shrub like growth habit, how are folks protecting them? I'm thinking a 6' diameter cage and once they get tall enough to have quite a few branches above browse level then making them small enough to just protect the trunk(s) from getting rubbed/girdled.

Would that work? How have you protected your DCOs?

 

[scott44]

I use tree tubes for most all my oaks, I've tried caging them but I have to do a better job of weed control, mice/voles have girdled them. They will girdle them too I'm the tubes if they are above the ground. I usually spray a 3-4' circle around each tube to keep vegetation down.