Fruit Tree Fencing

[Ck1084]

I have about 25 newly planted fruit trees I need to protect from the deer. I was looking at welded wire and woven wire fence from Tractor Supply. I've used 48" or 60" welded wire fence in the past, but the woven is much cheaper. Does anyone have experience with the woven wire? Just curious if it will stand up straight on a couple of T posts or it will want to sag? Is welded worth the extra money?

Here is the link for the woven field fence:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...n-field-fence-330-ft-l-x-47-in-h?cm_vc=-10005

Thanks!

 

[yoderjac]

Actually, I don't use either. I like Remesh. It is steel and comes in 5' x 150' roles. I have found I don't need large cages so I can get 15 cages out of a role. They stand up on their own and don't need posts to keep the upright. A single T post will keep the cage from moving if pushed and you don't even need a heavy duty one. The wire is more expensive but the total cost is not. These cages seem to last forever and can be resused when the tree gets older.

Remesh, if you are not familiar is used to reinforce cement. You can find it at lowes or pretty much any place that sells cement supplies.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[scott44]

Menards has remesh on sale.

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/menards-sale.12013/

 

[Ck1084]

Thanks Yoder. I never thought of using remesh. Looks like the local Lowes has 150FT roll for $125. Unfortunately I'm in PA and we don't have Menards....$80 is a heck of a price.

 

[Prof.Kent]

I think that's what the originl poster ment by "welded" fencing; remesh. That's also what I use.

 

[yoderjac]

Thanks Yoder. I never thought of using remesh. Looks like the local Lowes has 150FT roll for $125. Unfortunately I'm in PA and we don't have Menards....$80 is a heck of a price.

Yes, I don't have a menards here. Prices at lowes range from a little over $100 to about $140. Prices are high right now with tariffs in place. $125 is pretty good in my area last I checked. If you get 15 cages per role that is about $8.50 per cage. Say you get a T-post for $4, that is $12.50 per cage. I needed at least 3 T-posts when I used welded wire and it was not 5' tall. That is $12 just for the posts without the wire. I find it hard to reuse welded wire because it bends so easily. It is possible but the remesh can be reused almost indefinitely. Probably doesn't matter much at my age, but it does if you are young enough.

Sorry the picture is rotated. Here are some other things I like about remesh. I use landscaping cloth for weed control. I cut a square and split it half way up the middle. I put the t-post in the split at the appropriate distance from the tree based on cage diameter. I set the cage over the tree on the landscaping cloth. It is heavy enough that it holds the landscaping cloth in place without stone or mulch. The cloth itself acts as mulch. It is gas and water permeable. The black stuff you see wrapped around each tree is cheap fiberglass window screen. I just wrap it around and staple it. This makes it less likely that rodents can chew the trunk. When I cut the cage, I cut one end flush and the other end with the horizontal wires sticking out. I use cable ties to tie the flush side to the post. Remesh naturally forms circular cages since it it is rolled. Wire from the outside of the roll has the right natural bend. It get tighter as you get toward the center of the roll. I just flatten these tight cages on the ground and walk on them to reduce the amount of bend. I use the long ends of the horizontal wire to close the cage. I just wrap them around the post. I wire my tree tags to the T-post.

By the way, remesh is not my idea. I got it from others on the forum and tried it. It works best for me.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[BobinCt]

Has anyone ever done a comparison of the same tree planted in the same area with one caged and one not caged? I have and after a few years I asked myself how a wild apple tree in the woods ever made it it to maturity that has deer around. I feel you will never establish an orchard without fencing.

 

[sandbur]

Has anyone ever done a comparison of the same tree planted in the same area with one caged and one not caged? I have and after a few years I asked myself how a wild apple tree in the woods ever made it it to maturity that has deer around. I feel you will never establish an orchard without fencing.

Apple seeds may fall in a brush oil or a fallen oak tree and get the start they need.

There are also periods of very low and of high deer numbers, at least up here where we have bad winters. Seasons and hunting pressure definitely change deer numbers.


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[yoderjac]

Has anyone ever done a comparison of the same tree planted in the same area with one caged and one not caged? I have and after a few years I asked myself how a wild apple tree in the woods ever made it it to maturity that has deer around. I feel you will never establish an orchard without fencing.

Yes, every time i plant a new kind of tree, I always plant a few with no protection. At my place, deer relate to trees differently depending on species and conditions. Anything planted in the open with no protection will form a bush because deer will prune the central leader. They seem to like to rub fruit trees if not protected as well. Trees planted in the understory seem to get less attention from deer.

How deer use young trees will depend on deer density as well as alternative foods and the general habitat. How it works at my place may be different than yours, but my apples need caged.

 

[sandbur]

Has anyone ever done a comparison of the same tree planted in the same area with one caged and one not caged? I have and after a few years I asked myself how a wild apple tree in the woods ever made it it to maturity that has deer around. I feel you will never establish an orchard without fencing.

Apple seeds may fall in a brush oil or a fallen oak tree and get the start they need.

There are also periods of very low and of high deer numbers, at least up here where we have bad winters. Seasons and hunting pressure definitely change deer numbers.


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Not brush oil, brush pile. Sorry for the mistake.


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