I had an epiphany.

[b116757]

I planted 25 Burgambel oaks down the driveway of the new farm the trouble is next spring I’ll have it leased out for cattle pasture so I need to protect the young trees from cattle. I was flipping through Facebook Marketplace and saw 275 gallon poly totes for cheap sometimes free and thought why not just take off the cages and use them for tree protection in addition to 5’ grow tubes hopefully stout enough to keep the cattle from killing my trees. Anyone else tried these for tree protection?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I've seen them used before by people along a county highway. I'm pretty sure that they put them around a red bud and a crabapple. The trees are absolutely huge now but they just left the barrels around them. Unfortunately I can't say on whether or not they would work at protecting against cattle. My gut says that you would need to stake the inside of the barrels with multiple t posts to hold them in place.

 

[b116757]

I’ll use t-posts I have plenty of used ones on hand we sold several pallets of used ones last year but I’ve already replaced 1/2 mile of fence since then and I’ve got another 1/2 mile to replace this winter. I buy full pallets of t-posts. I do think as long as one can get the totes very cheap their a bit more durable for my needs than simple wire loop cages if I was only trying to keep deer out it’s probably a bit of overkill. I’ve also found some welded steel crates that would probably work for the same purpose but a bit more expensive. Guy has 20 of them if he’ll give me a deal on the lot I may buy them and use also.

 

[Telemark]

I would stake them with rebar and wrap some barbed wire around them.

 

[omicron1792]

You’re talking about just using the metal cage around it and using the water tank for something else?

Not a bad idea if the totes are free

 

[Catscratch]

I think those would make great cages. Lots of guys around here use them for firewood holders.

Cattle will rub on them no matter what, and if they like the trees you've planted inside they will push pretty hard on them. Don't underestimate the destructive tendencies of a cow. They are a lot like freshmen boys or privates in the Army. If it has a weak point they'll expose it.

Openings that big will let does and fawns poke their heads through. As long as they can't reach the central leader you should be ok.

Love the thinking out of the box idea!

 

[chaded]

You will need to use t-posts or something similar and drive them deep. If not, they will push the posts over very easy and they are going to want to rub on the cages because…..well because you don’t want them to. That’s how they are. I have cattle and have learned if you want something protected from them you are better off removing it from them or removing them from it, kind of like putting fragile stuff out of reach from children. The other method is making it rhino proof and you might be fine. Mine are trained to a single hot wire and that makes life much easier.

 

[Angus 1895]

I would suggest electric fence deterrent. And after they have eaten the forage around totes, totally fence them off.

 

[H20fwler]

I would wrap them good with barbed wire too. Cattle are crazy strong and have nothing to do all day but push against things.

 

[Angus 1895]

Would you flip em upside down and put the tree through the fill hole?

 

[b116757]

I’m only planning to use the cage not the tank but I guess you could

 

[Angus 1895]

I will show some cages that have worked 4 me when it gets daylight