protecting apple trees

[ksJoe]

In the last couple days I've planted a lot of bare root seedling trees and bushes. For most of them, we on put weed mat, rabbit mesh, and 47" tall field fence cages. On a tiny seedling I can see that the cage keeps the deer from touching it, and will limit their access for years to come.

We also picked up a couple apple trees from a local store and they're around 8 foot tall. Are these cages adequate? They're 47 inch field fence. Its around a 9 foot piece (2.8 foot diamter). I can see them interferring with a deer rubbing the trunk, but other than that I'm not sure what they'll help. The deer can chew on a lot of lower parts of the tree above the cage.

 

[yoderjac]

It depends on your deer. In some places deer will push against welded wire cages and deform them, but they will still likely keep them from killing the trees. I like to use Remesh for cages. It is 5' tall and stiff enough to stand on its own. A single T-post is usually enough to keep deer from moving them. I would not change what you have until you find there is an issue.

 

[ksJoe]

Thanks yoderjac!

We've gotten a lot of rain in the last week, so things are greening up fast. The deer shouldn't be overly hungry right now, so maybe this will be adequate.

 

[bwoods11]

I think they will definitely help. Looks good !

 

[buckdeer1]

I use 4ft fence also If needed I just raise about a foot off the ground and use 2 post or 1 T post and a piece of rebar on the other side

 

[Ed Brodt]

We take 4 pallets and screw them together at the corners. The ones in this pic have been in place for four years now. These are pear trees and are quit a bit larger than when this picture was taken. It is also easy to take them apart if you need to clear out any weeds or add weed cloth in a year or two.

 

[chucker66]

We take 4 pallets and screw them together at the corners. The ones in this pic have been in place for four years now. These are pear trees and are quit a bit larger than when this picture was taken. It is also easy to take them apart if you need to clear out any weeds or add weed cloth in a year or two.

That's a good idea and I can get pallets for free and fencing is very high right now.

 

[g squared 23]

I’m using 5’ welded wire with a circumference of 12.5’ for apples and 10’ for pears as they grow straight up. Then a 6’ x 6’ weed mat and aluminum screen around the trunk to protect from rodents. Secure with a T post or two.

Here’s a Gallaway Pear from TWG planted in 2018. Have yet to see fruit, but the growth has been impressive. My pole pruner shown is 16’ fully extended, so the tree has to be around 20’ tall. Really good scaffold branches for a pear, no training performed.

Man I love this time of year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[H20fwler]

I used to only use the 5’ concrete remesh ten foot section and loved it for caging.

The covid inflation has made a 150’ roll that was $110 jumped to $275 now so I’m not buying any more of that.
This year I’m only buying 47” farm fence and using up the last of my remesh.
Have gone to making cages smaller too…6’ at the most. I’m OK with 4’ tall cages I don’t want any branches lower that that anyway and cut them off.

 

[ksJoe]

so far they're doing good. We planted a couple more apple trees last weekend

 

[Mortenson]

I used to only use the 5’ concrete remesh ten foot section and loved it for caging.

The covid inflation has made a 150’ roll that was $110 jumped to $275 now so I’m not buying any more of that.
This year I’m only buying 47” farm fence and using up the last of my remesh.
Have gone to making cages smaller too…6’ at the most. I’m OK with 4’ tall cages I don’t want any branches lower that that anyway and cut them off.

I didn't buy any concrete remesh this year either. Way too expensive. $300 here last I checked. Used old 4' tall tomato cages my neighbor was throwing out. They're only 8' sections so what I did was also used a tree tube for every tree. Still window screened inside the tubes.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I am planning on going with smaller cages this year as well. But I am just planning on using them on ROD, American plum, choke cherry, and White cedars. I just haven’t decided if I should go 6, or 8 foot.

 

[Wild Thing]

so far they're doing good. We planted a couple more apple trees last weekendView attachment 42407

Good job protecting them KsJoe but when do you plan to start training them into what you want them to look like when they grow up? Those bottom 8-10 branches all need to go. I would have taken at least 4 of them off the day I planted the tree...and the next 4 lower ones would be gone by the same time the following year. Why allow branches that you don't intend to keep steal nutrients and water from the other parts of the tree that you do intend to keep? Same thing with all of those scaffolds. 4 or 5 main scaffold branches are plenty for an apple tree.

I would have also removed one of the competing central leaders on the next tree to the right and then headed back the remaining leader, as well as the laterals I intended to keep.

It is a lot easier to train a young tree from the beginning than it is to let it grow wild and then try to correct it....and a lot less stressful for the tree as well.

You have done a great job otherwise...now get out there and start training those trees into what you want them to mature into. Just try not to remove any more than 20-25% of the tree at any one time - you can go back out a remove more branches in a 2-3 months....more next winter....

 

[ksJoe]

Thanks Wild Thing. That was very informative!

when do you plan to start training them into what you want them to look like when they grow up?

I didn't know what to do. Next time I'm out there I'll take off some lower branches.

Same thing with all of those scaffolds. 4 or 5 main scaffold branches are plenty for an apple tree

The way I read your comment, you're referring to "bottom branches" and "scaffolds" as if they're different things. I thought the lower horizontal branches were scaffolds. Can you clarify?

I would have also removed one of the competing central leaders on the next tree to the right and then headed back the remaining leader, as well as the laterals I intended to keep.

will do. How much should I remove when heading back?

 

[Wild Thing]

Thanks Wild Thing. That was very informative!


I didn't know what to do. Next time I'm out there I'll take off some lower branches.

Sure - You can safely remove at least the bottom 4 branches right now. In late summer maybe take a couple more bottom branches. Next spring take more until your lowest branches are at least 4-5 feet above ground level = Done with the low branches.

The way I read your comment, you're referring to "bottom branches" and "scaffolds" as if they're different things. I thought the lower horizontal branches were scaffolds. Can you clarify?

Yes - they are one in the same. It is just a given that we all know we want our lowest branches 4-5 above ground level so they are going to be removed - no questions asked.

The upper lateral branches are a little more complicated as you want to balance the weight of the branches (and the load of fruit) sort of equally around the tree - N-E-S-W, and you don't really want them too close together. This may take a few years until you get the look you want, but certainly on the day you plant the tree you can easily look at it and see what you want to remove for starters....like maybe the smaller ones, those that maybe have 2 or more branches growing in the same direction and relatively close together, those that would want to compete with the main leader. But the bottom line is that 4, 5 or 6 lateral scaffold branches is plenty for one tree. Believe me you will get lots of branching from the main scaffolds once they get bigger.

Here are maybe 5 or 6 main saffolds but they have plenty of other branches growing out from them...



The key is to not crowd the tree too much. You do need to have good air flow and sunlight throughout the tree.



I planted these Red Wealthy's in the spring of 2018. Here they are in the fall of 2020 - a little over 3 years later. Bottom branches are all gone and most of the unwanted laterals are also gone.
And, yes - I should not have allowed that much fruit to grow on such a young tree - My Bad.



The other issue you should deal with early on is proper crotch angles so that the lateral scaffolds have enough backbone to support heavy loads of fruit. You can cut spreaders out of lath and put them in place to encourage the proper crotch angle (45-60 degrees). Once they start growing in the right direction these can be removed - usually within a year.

will do. How much should I remove when heading back?

You can cut the back 1/3 - 1/2 initially. As the tree grows you will also want to head them back so the tree doesn't grow so tall that you can't maintain it (12' is plenty high for me). You don't want the laterals growing out too far either as the longer they are, the weaker they become to support heavy fruit loads. Some say you should remove up to 1/3 of the lateral growth per year as well. I usually just try to judge it by looking them over when I am doing annual pruning.

Obviously, I let this one get too long...although thinning the fruit would have helped also... If you have to support a scaffold branch with a 2X4 - it is too long.



This is what too long of a scaffold branch and/or too much fruit can do if you allow it.



Hope the photos help out some.

 

[ksJoe]

Thank you Wild Thing! I'll be rereading this several times in the next year or so as I'm pruning them.

 

[westonwhitetail]

Sure - You can safely remove at least the bottom 4 branches right now. In late summer maybe take a couple more bottom branches. Next spring take more until your lowest branches are at least 4-5 feet above ground level = Done with the low branches.



Yes - they are one in the same. It is just a given that we all know we want our lowest branches 4-5 above ground level so they are going to be removed - no questions asked.

The upper lateral branches are a little more complicated as you want to balance the weight of the branches (and the load of fruit) sort of equally around the tree - N-E-S-W, and you don't really want them too close together. This may take a few years until you get the look you want, but certainly on the day you plant the tree you can easily look at it and see what you want to remove for starters....like maybe the smaller ones, those that maybe have 2 or more branches growing in the same direction and relatively close together, those that would want to compete with the main leader. But the bottom line is that 4, 5 or 6 lateral scaffold branches is plenty for one tree. Believe me you will get lots of branching from the main scaffolds once they get bigger.

Here are maybe 5 or 6 main saffolds but they have plenty of other branches growing out from them...

View attachment 42409

The key is to not crowd the tree too much. You do need to have good air flow and sunlight throughout the tree.

View attachment 42410

I planted these Red Wealthy's in the spring of 2018. Here they are in the fall of 2020 - a little over 3 years later. Bottom branches are all gone and most of the unwanted laterals are also gone.
And, yes - I should not have allowed that much fruit to grow on such a young tree - My Bad.

View attachment 42411

The other issue you should deal with early on is proper crotch angles so that the lateral scaffolds have enough backbone to support heavy loads of fruit. You can cut spreaders out of lath and put them in place to encourage the proper crotch angle (45-60 degrees). Once they start growing in the right direction these can be removed - usually within a year.

View attachment 42412

View attachment 42413

View attachment 42414


You can cut the back 1/3 - 1/2 initially. As the tree grows you will also want to head them back so the tree doesn't grow so tall that you can't maintain it (12' is plenty high for me). You don't want the laterals growing out too far either as the longer they are, the weaker they become to support heavy fruit loads. Some say you should remove up to 1/3 of the lateral growth per year as well. I usually just try to judge it by looking them over when I am doing annual pruning.

Obviously, I let this one get too long...although thinning the fruit would have helped also... If you have to support a scaffold branch with a 2X4 - it is too long.

View attachment 42415

This is what too long of a scaffold branch and/or too much fruit can do if you allow it.

View attachment 42416

Hope the photos help out some.

I think you talked me into heading back out to prune some more this spring great info, thank you!