More cage questions

[Chainsaw]

Am purchasing fencing for some fruit trees ordered for this spring And have some questions.
1. is 14 gauge 2 inch by 4 inch welded wire a workable choice when using two tall stakes And a spreader stick at the top?
2. I have read on this forum that five feet is the preferred height. Considering that here we sometimes get a two foot snowpack, would maybe six feet high be a better choice for here?
3. Other than a slightly higher cost are there any disadvantages to a six foot high fence Versus a five foot high fence?
thank you.

 

[Telemark]

Just make sure you build a door into the cage.

 

[H20fwler]

I can’t really speak to the two foot snow pack we normally don’t get that here but do have some deep drifting snow at times. With 2X4 wire I would still screen as high as you possibly can on tree because rabbits will go right though it and if snow is deep could be a problem.
A disadvantage I could see with six foot tall wire would be ease of trimming with that kind of wire unless you are really tall or use a step ladder.
I have some fruit trees caged with the 5’ foot 2X4 wire and have had to use at least three to four stakes or posts to keep deer from pushing it in to nibble on branches.

 

[woodduck]

I used 2x4 welded wire, 60" tall on all of my trees without any problems.....yet. I only use 2 6ft T posts and haven't had any issues with collapsing. I screen my trees 24" high but you may need to screen higher due to your snowpack. I prefer the 5ft fence height because I try to trane my 1st set of scaffold branches at 5 - 6 ft and it is an easy working height to just reach over top of the cage. I suppose it's probably just personal preference and with your snowpack you may want or need a 6ft fence. I also cut my rolls of weldeded wire at 12.5 ft that way I get 4 cages out of a 50 ft roll or 8 out of 100ft roll. That dia. also seems to work well for reaching over the cage. As mentioned in the comment above leaving yourself a door to get in is also helpful so you can pull or spray weeds or adjust weed barriers and screen. I just wire my cages to the T posts starting by wiring the end to one T post then bringing it around and using the cut off wire ends on the opposite end of your cage as hooks to hook into your cage where you started. I hope that made sense.

 

[Buckly]

I like the concrete mesh roll much better as it’s much more sturdy. I don’t see a need to pay for all that extra wire in a 2 by 4 mesh as opposed to the 6 by 6 on the concrete wire. I don’t think you’ll have any problems at 5ft Especially if you make them 15 ft long. This makes a nice wide circle and the Deere can’t really get close enough to the tree If you’re going with a smaller circle, like 2 or 3 ft. Then yes I would use 6ft high and the 2 by 4 mesh. I always put 4 post on mine and found that electrical conduit is cheap and easy. Zip tie cage to posts and zip tie opening so you can have access. Or use a poly chain lock product

 

[Prof.Kent]

I used 2x4 welded wire, 60" tall on all of my trees without any problems.....yet. I only use 2 6ft T posts and haven't had any issues with collapsing. I screen my trees 24" high but you may need to screen higher due to your snowpack. I prefer the 5ft fence height because I try to trane my 1st set of scaffold branches at 5 - 6 ft and it is an easy working height to just reach over top of the cage. I suppose it's probably just personal preference and with your snowpack you may want or need a 6ft fence. I also cut my rolls of weldeded wire at 12.5 ft that way I get 4 cages out of a 50 ft roll or 8 out of 100ft roll. That dia. also seems to work well for reaching over the cage. As mentioned in the comment above leaving yourself a door to get in is also helpful so you can pull or spray weeds or adjust weed barriers and screen. I just wire my cages to the T posts starting by wiring the end to one T post then bringing it around and using the cut off wire ends on the opposite end of your cage as hooks to hook into your cage where you started. I hope that made sense.

Dude, you must be my twin brother. Everything you said is what I do.

 

[woodduck]

Dude, you must be my twin brother. Everything you said is what I do.

Everything I've learned has been from you guys here on Habitat-Talk.

 

[Tree Spud]

Am purchasing fencing for some fruit trees ordered for this spring And have some questions.
1. is 14 gauge 2 inch by 4 inch welded wire a workable choice when using two tall stakes And a spreader stick at the top?
2. I have read on this forum that five feet is the preferred height. Considering that here we sometimes get a two foot snowpack, would maybe six feet high be a better choice for here?
3. Other than a slightly higher cost are there any disadvantages to a six foot high fence Versus a five foot high fence?
thank you.

Diameter is what matters ...

At 4' high, and 2.5' - 3' diameter, deer can reach branches. Add some snow and they can reach the main leader. have lost many trees.

I am going to all 6" x 6" concrete mesh with a 5' diameter that is 6' high. Once I add I can keep all the deer heads away and rim down to 4' high once the tree has enough height.

JMHO

 

[rocksnstumps]

^^^^exactly what he said. Don't be a cheapa$$ on your diameter or this might happen

 

[BuckSutherland]

About 1/3 of my cages are 12 gauge 4 feet tall. The other 2/3 are 14 gauge 4 feet tall. I buy 100' rolls and cut off 10 feet at a time and make cages with them. The 12 gauge are superior, but also more expensive and kind of a PIA to cut with a snips, but worth it I guess. I'm not caging fruit trees either, just a few oaks, but mostly white pines, norway spruce and some cannan fir. I hold the cages in place by taking a couple of step in post and pounding them in upside down with a hammer. Very sturdy. Deer havent bothered my trees yet, but your mileage might vary with fruit trees.

 

[OakSeeds]

I'm with Tree Spud; it's a one and done for several years.
TS said .... "I am going to all 6" x 6" concrete mesh with a 5' diameter that is 6' high. Once I add I can keep all the deer heads away and rim down to 4' high once the tree has enough height."

 

[chummer]

Dave,
I have used 3' 5' and 6' cages of all different diameters. If I had to pick one set up it would be 6' and a small diameter. I cut at about 8' sections. It offers the central leader a bit more protection with the snow pack. The narrow cages also hold up better against snow pack. When I used a wider diameter cage the snow pack flattened or mangled many of them. I dont care about the browsing under 6' because those branches will be removed eventually. I cut pressure treated 2×4×8 into 1" stakes. I only use 1 per cage and with the narrow cage I can tie the tree to it as well.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Catscratch]

I will use anything I can get my hands on to make cages. My favorite protection is tall and large diameter. Budget likes tall and narrow.

The 6x6 holes do allow does/fawns to poke their noses in and browse. They don't do it with large diameter cages but small ones are just too tempting for them.

I'm considering removing the large cages I have on older trees and cycling them over to new plantings. The large cages from the older trees would be replaced with narrower ones.

I also use cages to tie off training tape.

To answer the original questions; other than cost, I see no issues with tall and wide. Every cage problem I've ever had can be traced back to letting the deer get to close to the tree (either horizontally or vertically).

 

[homerj]

Dave,
I have used 3' 5' and 6' cages of all different diameters. If I had to pick one set up it would be 6' and a small diameter. I cut at about 8' sections. It offers the central leader a bit more protection with the snow pack. The narrow cages also hold up better against snow pack. When I used a wider diameter cage the snow pack flattened or mangled many of them. I dont care about the browsing under 6' because those branches will be removed eventually. I cut pressure treated 2×4×8 into 1" stakes. I only use 1 per cage and with the narrow cage I can tie the tree to it as well.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

How would deer utilize the fruit in such a set up?

 

[Catscratch]

I guess there is one more drawback to large cages besides cost; some of the fruit falls inside it and isn't accessible to the deer.

 

[chummer]

How would deer utilize the fruit in such a set up?

In that picture they won’t. That is a goofy golden hornet that is growing like a bush. By the time my trees start fruiting I remove the tall cages and replace with 3’ cages narrow in diameter. Most of the fruit falls outside the cage. I did have a dolgo browsed by rabbits last year 5-7’ up into the tree. A wide 6’ cage would have prevented that but they would have went over any 5’ cage. They didn’t do too much damage and it has only happened once. Yes I get that much snow!

 

[Farmsteader]

About 1/3 of my cages are 12 gauge 4 feet tall. The other 2/3 are 14 gauge 4 feet tall. I buy 100' rolls and cut off 10 feet at a time and make cages with them. The 12 gauge are superior, but also more expensive and kind of a PIA to cut with a snips, but worth it I guess. I'm not caging fruit trees either, just a few oaks, but mostly white pines, norway spruce and some cannan fir. I hold the cages in place by taking a couple of step in post and pounding them in upside down with a hammer. Very sturdy. Deer havent bothered my trees yet, but your mileage might vary with fruit trees.

View attachment 27670

In my area I would never think of protecting a white pine. They are like weeds here. I do find it interesting to see how other people from different parts of the country manage their land. I have also come to the realization that deer seem to prefer to eat or destroy anything I do plant. I think if I did try and grow some white pine and didn’t protect them they would be damaged by deer. I have a naturalized stand of lilacs that I propagated to a different location and have had to deal with excessive deer browsing. I wonder if my caring for the stuff I want to grow is making it taste better or if the deer just know it pisses me off when they mess with the stuff.

 

[j-bird]

In my area I would never think of protecting a white pine. They are like weeds here. I do find it interesting to see how other people from different parts of the country manage their land. I have also come to the realization that deer seem to prefer to eat or destroy anything I do plant. I think if I did try and grow some white pine and didn’t protect them they would be damaged by deer. I have a naturalized stand of lilacs that I propagated to a different location and have had to deal with excessive deer browsing. I wonder if my caring for the stuff I want to grow is making it taste better or if the deer just know it pisses me off when they mess with the stuff.

Yep.....been in the same boat before. Plant turnips for the deer to eat....and they ignore them. Plant a tree for the deer NOT to eat and the deer rip off the cage, chew and rub a 6 foot tree down to a tattered 12" stick! Just like when you tell kids NOT to touch something....it's like it just makes them want to touch it more!

 

[Someday isle]

I used 2x4 welded wire, 60" tall on all of my trees without any problems.....yet. I only use 2 6ft T posts and haven't had any issues with collapsing. I screen my trees 24" high but you may need to screen higher due to your snowpack. I prefer the 5ft fence height because I try to trane my 1st set of scaffold branches at 5 - 6 ft and it is an easy working height to just reach over top of the cage. I suppose it's probably just personal preference and with your snowpack you may want or need a 6ft fence. I also cut my rolls of weldeded wire at 12.5 ft that way I get 4 cages out of a 50 ft roll or 8 out of 100ft roll. That dia. also seems to work well for reaching over the cage. As mentioned in the comment above leaving yourself a door to get in is also helpful so you can pull or spray weeds or adjust weed barriers and screen. I just wire my cages to the T posts starting by wiring the end to one T post then bringing it around and using the cut off wire ends on the opposite end of your cage as hooks to hook into your cage where you started. I hope that made sense.

Me too...

 

[TreeDaddy]

The "take home" that I learned from all of the methods described above is the attention to detail associated with each success

thanks

bill