Red Osier Dogwood

[Newbie]

When planting ROD do you guys cage? If memory serves me correctly, I think SD keeps them protected by a bunch of downed tree tops/brush. I may order 100 2' RODs but I may have to wait just due to time restraint if they all need to be caged.

I think I know the answer to this but looking for confirmation hahaha

 

[somich]

This is a couple spots where I used plastic snow fence i had. Works pretty well for small areas. Deer have knocked it down some but so far so good. We also have several rows with no protection doing well. Those will need protection.

 

[Newbie]

This is a couple spots where I used plastic snow fence i had. Works pretty well for small areas. Deer have knocked it down some but so far so good. We also have several rows with no protection doing well. Those will need protection.

Nice, thank you.

Good looking deer habitat in that pic!

 

[bwoods11]

I have not, for the most part. If it’s high deer area, I would cage them.

 

[Telemark]

I would start with fewer. You don't need a big expensive cage like you do for fruit trees. You can use cheaper stuff, plant, cage, let grow a couple years, then buy a few more, or propagate from cuttings. You can then move the cages to the new shrubs/cuttings when planting them out.

The established ones you can lean over and burry. This will make the shrubs sprout more and grow wider. It will take more time this way, but it will cost a fraction of planting and caging 100 in one season. It also spreads the work out over a few years, which is great.

I've been meaning to make a video about this process, but the weather has been brutal. Vicious wind and rain all week, blew my gas grill off the deck and threw it 6 or 8 feet onto the path today. When the weather clears, I'll make a brief video about propagating and expanding red and yellow dogwoods.

 

[somich]

Nice, thank you.

Good looking deer habitat in that pic!

Last year my son got one in the hedgerow that the tube sticks up in.

That's live weight, we gut and dress in the garage.

 

[fingers]

At what age can you let deer safely browse them without killing the plant? I was hoping that after about 3 yrs I could uncage them and the deer would just eat new growth (similar to pruning) but leave the main older stalks alone preserving the plant...too optimistic in area with alot of winter browse pressure?

 

[somich]

At what age can you let deer safely browse them without killing the plant? I was hoping that after about 3 yrs I could uncage them and the deer would just eat new growth (similar to pruning) but leave the main older stalks alone preserving the plant...too optimistic in area with alot of winter browse pressure?

Three years would seem to be plenty if you have other forage for the deer and rabbits. We have lots of gray and silky dogwood plus lot's of other food, browse is everywhere so they don't seem to overbrowse anything.

 

[ruskbucks]

Definitely cage them. I have stuck hundreds of dogwood cuttings on my hunting property by sticking them all over the place with very low success. I finally put about 10 in one 3ft diameter cage and they are about 2 1/2 foot tall in a year. I guess rabbits will wipe the cuttings out also. When I plant them at home with a very low deer population they do great without cages. I would say close to 80 percent make it.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Definitely cage them. I have stuck hundreds of dogwood cuttings on my hunting property by sticking them all over the place with very low success. I finally put about 10 in one 3ft diameter cage and they are about 2 1/2 foot tall in a year. I guess rabbits will wipe the cuttings out also. When I plant them at home with a very low deer population they do great without cages. I would say close to 80 percent make it.

Yup, I think rabbits are the bigger culprit on our properties. I started putting them in chicken wire cages or hardware cloth and they have exploded.

 

[Brian662]

Another vote for a cage. I like a weed mat 3'x3' and two or three shrubs or cuttings planted in the same area then caged. Pulling cages off year 3 or 4. Rabbits will girdle them but the plant is too strong by then and new growth explodes after they're girdle.

I ran a few trials of caged ROD vs uncaged, planted same day 10 feet apart. Caged shrub was 8 or 9 feet tall and had 1" bases. Uncaged was 2 foot tall and spindly.

 

[Telemark]

I use this:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/fencing/utility-fencing/34-x-50-galvanized-rabbit-guard-fence/1712715/p-1539153029458-c-5768.htm?srsltid=AfmBOoqbExaV68ubipFdpO08arKRIkaNyizEvKKvBcvLWsS0vmdooLc9