Protect Dogwoods etc.?

[Sconnie]

I have decided to start diversifying a 4 acre project area (open old pasture) with shrubs including Nannyberry, Gray Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood and Nine Bark. I have found a local nursery and have ordered 5 of each (12-30"). Never planted them before so this is a bit of an experiment. They will be in the center of a mixed conifer planting I did this spring with a few oaks. Soil is sandy loam that holds moisture well. PH is around 5.8-6.3.

To those that have experience: Do you protect these with a cage like apples; or tube like an oak?

Deer density is moderate and anything unprotected gets browsed heavily. Maybe these grow aggressive enough to take a chance?

My fencing budget is already blown for next year...

Thanks for any and all input!

 

[scott44]

I use 4' weld wire fencing, cut so that you can bend it back on itself and use the fiber glass electric fence post to stake them down. I usually only use one post but, you can weave it down through the fence, you can make these as big or small as you want it was a little bit of trial and error till I got the right size.

 

[Sconnie]

Cage it is then. Now to wait for a good Menards sale. Thanks folks!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Study the expected growth rates of the plants you intend to plant. Then, when you make your cages, allow enough room for the amount of growth necessary to get the plants big enough to survive once the cages are removed or outgrown. Trying to skimp on fencing to save money may cost you more in the long run. Either from eaten plants growing thru the cages, or not being large enough once the cages are removed. Then you may end up buying more new plants and even more fencing.

Several years ago, I made small cages on some shrubby plants and tried to get as many cages from a roll as possible. Bad move. Shrubs grew out through the cages and got hammered by deer to the point they didn't survive. Had I made larger cages in the first place, I would have been time and $$$ ahead. FWIW.

 

[alldaysit]

Study the expected growth rates of the plants you intend to plant. Then, when you make your cages, allow enough room for the amount of growth necessary to get the plants big enough to survive once the cages are removed or outgrown. Trying to skimp on fencing to save money may cost you more in the long run. Either from eaten plants growing thru the cages, or not being large enough once the cages are removed. Then you may end up buying more new plants and even more fencing.

Several years ago, I made small cages on some shrubby plants and tried to get as many cages from a roll as possible. Bad move. Shrubs grew out through the cages and got hammered by deer to the point they didn't survive. Had I made larger cages in the first place, I would have been time and $$$ ahead. FWIW.

What size did you make them and how big should they have been?


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[Mortenson]

My shrub experiment just finished it's 2nd growing season. I put in 1,200 so caging wasn't an option. The fastest growers from my assortment are definitely american plum. I also planted gray dogwood, roughleaf dogwood, flowering dogwood, ninebark, spicebush, and false indigo (was guaranteed they wouldn't be browsed). This winter I'm going to make an examination and determination on what, if any, can be continued to plant. Hoping something sticks! My guess is the plums have the best chance. Some made it 6' high in the first year, but then got clobbered by bucks.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Alldaysit, Post #6 - I made them about 15" across at first, to try to get as many cages out of a roll as I could. Now ........ for shrubby plants I go to 3 ft. across minimum with 5 ft. tall concrete mesh. I do the same with our Norway spruce too ( the ones that we REALLY want to stay in place ), but not all of them. We plant too many spruce to cage them all. I caged serviceberry at those same dimensions and it's paid off.

I caged some stumps of oak and maple trees after we logged in the spring of 2015. The stump sprouts on some of them grew out of the 5 ft. tall concrete mesh cages in one year since the deer couldn't get to them. Now we have more cover AND browse from those stumps ........ and for just caging them.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I've never caged those types of shrubs in either NW WI or SE MN and I've had good survival rates. Browsing stunts them a bit and they take longer to mature, but they eventually do all right. I planted several thousand, so caging really wasn't an option. I'm not sure what your deer density is, but I wouldn't be afraid to order some extra shrubs and plant them without caging them.

 

[chummer]

I start mine in tubes. I don't have to cage after that but the deer do keep them trimmed pretty good. I would guess if I had more deer they would need cages.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Update on 2 newer Washington hawthorns - 2 seedlings, 10" tall and dia. of a pencil-lead when planted 2 years ago, are now 4 ft. tall and multi-branched because of cages. Un-caged ones got nipped off each winter ( the new, non-thorny growth ) and are about 15" tall.

 

[Bill]

Guys with high deer densities say I'm crazy and it would never work for them. But I have had 3 acres fenced with a double gallager style electric fence with a solar charger for 5 years. I've had a few break ins in late winter when one runs through it because the ground is frozen. But my shrubs have not been devoured. 1 more year and it comes down and the deer can have at it.

Lots cheaper than cages. But if you have lots of starving deer it may not work.

I also have 4 acres of beans and rye right next to it. That may be helping. Eat easy beans or risk getting zapped to eat a stick. Not a hard choice to make.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have decided to start diversifying a 4 acre project area (open old pasture) with shrubs including Nannyberry, Gray Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood and Nine Bark. I have found a local nursery and have ordered 5 of each (12-30"). Never planted them before so this is a bit of an experiment. They will be in the center of a mixed conifer planting I did this spring with a few oaks. Soil is sandy loam that holds moisture well. PH is around 5.8-6.3.

To those that have experience: Do you protect these with a cage like apples; or tube like an oak?

Deer density is moderate and anything unprotected gets browsed heavily. Maybe these grow aggressive enough to take a chance?

My fencing budget is already blown for next year...

Thanks for any and all input!

I am starting on a 3 year planting of shrubs in various settings on my land. I was wondering how yours fared? Did you cage them all? How big are they now? Have the deer been hammering them?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Study the expected growth rates of the plants you intend to plant. Then, when you make your cages, allow enough room for the amount of growth necessary to get the plants big enough to survive once the cages are removed or outgrown. Trying to skimp on fencing to save money may cost you more in the long run. Either from eaten plants growing thru the cages, or not being large enough once the cages are removed. Then you may end up buying more new plants and even more fencing.

Several years ago, I made small cages on some shrubby plants and tried to get as many cages from a roll as possible. Bad move. Shrubs grew out through the cages and got hammered by deer to the point they didn't survive. Had I made larger cages in the first place, I would have been time and $$$ ahead. FWIW.

Bows, how is your shrubs doing? Ar ethey a success as for deer browsing them? Does it attract deer during season, or just provide browse throughout winter, after season?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bows, how is your shrubs doing? Ar ethey a success as for deer browsing them? Does it attract deer during season, or just provide browse throughout winter, after season?

The cages are still on the shrubs. I left them on to keep bucks from rubbing, and give the plants time to get a good foothold. If deer eat some limb tips that stick out of the cages, they still can't hammer the whole shrub. After 5 or 6 years in cages, they at least have good root systems and have some size to them. I like to let the cages on browsable shrubs as long as possible to avoid deer eating them to oblivion. Our serviceberries are a multi-trunked variety, so bucks would thrash them into shreds come October if the cages weren't on them. It'll be a few more years until they're big and woody enough to remove cages.

We haven't planted hundreds or thousands of shrubs like some of the guys on here do who have lots of open space. Ours are more scattered around the property. Our ROD cuttings aren't big enough yet to uncage - and we don't have a bunch of them. I'd like to plant more in our wetter spots - which are few.

Our shrubs aren't a big draw like the acorns from our native oaks, our food plots, or apple & crab trees. Even without cages, I doubt the shrub varieties we have will be the first attraction for the deer. Our biggest draws are the year-round food plots.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I only own 25 acres, but it is for the most part in big forest land. I do have 1.5 acres of food plots, and about 30 apple trees, I also have a decent crop of mature oaks that produce lots of acorns. My land is layed out pretty decent, with ridges, and a hill that divides the land almost in half, and I also have swap land along the north, and west side of my land. So I am trying to add as many options as possible. The next 3 years I am planning on adding shrubs, and cedars to cover, and additional food. Rod, chokecherry, Ninebark, and American Plum is the shrubs I am planting. Next year I am planning on planting as much ROD into swampy land that I can get, and find a place for.

 

[Angus 1895]

I caged my ornamental dog wood

The deer have such desire to munch on it I have decided to buy no more of it.

It seems lilac is not a big hit on the bufet

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I caged my ornamental dog wood

The deer have such desire to munch on it I have decided to buy no more of it.

It seems lilac is not a big hit on the bufet

I have planted lilac, and the deer mowed it down in my yard. But my wife wants me to try again, so I assume I will be planting and caging lilac in my yard.

 

[Angus 1895]

There was one strain they nipped , two other strains were not? I dunno u better cage them. For 100 feet of 5 foot fence it’s $220 bucks now , I use 7 foot lengths so 14 cages almost $20 a cage.