Removing stake and Cages what size / age.

[bigboreblr]

On the plus side, if you cut it, maples are great browse!

USed to be my muzzleloading cheat. Last friday of rifle season cut a maple tree or two down in the backyard. Then muzzleloading week, they'd be in the buds nibbling. Do what you gotta do on 3 acres back then.

Cutting a few down and putting up some dogwoods, witchhazel, wintergreen, or other shrubs can help too.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

It was a 4 foot tall cage, I’m not sure on the diameter but it wasn’t big enough. For these smaller cages, I’ve since doubled a few up which should be a better deterrent. Or just leave on the original 5’ tall cage for the life of the tree.


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Leaving our 5' tall cages for good is what we've done. Not Fort Knox protection, but they're a deterrent. Every bit helps.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I remove the large tree cage once the tree is tall enough to get above deer browsing on the terminal leader. I leave the aluminum screen on the trunk to protect against vole/mouse damage and put a 4' tall welded wire section on the trunk to protect against buck rub damage. I have probably 50 apple trees protected like this, and I've only had one buck rub the trunk through the welded wire trunk guard. My goal is to have the trees out of the large cages as quickly as possible, so I can then use those cages on a new tree.

 

[bigboreblr]

So what about supporting stakes? How big before you let them sway in the breeze on their own?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

So what about supporting stakes? How big before you let them sway in the breeze on their own?

I never use supporting stakes.

 

[TWalter91]

I never use supporting stakes.

Same here. I have never staked a newly planted tree.

 

[MW22392]

I don’t either, just step them down well, but the biggest bare root I’ve planted is only 3-4’. If you do something with a lot of weight on the top 1 year is plenty for it to get rooted in.

 

[bigboreblr]

I don’t either, just step them down well, but the biggest bare root I’ve planted is only 3-4’. If you do something with a lot of weight on the top 1 year is plenty for it to get rooted in.

I thought staking them help them grow faster. Prevents the roots from getting beat up in the wind. I staked some in 2023 and didn't stake some too. Looked like the staked ones did a bit better. 2024 trees I pretty much staked all of them, or used the cage stakes and some some.

My home site is very open and close to a large river valley area.

 

[MW22392]

I thought staking them help them grow faster. Prevents the roots from getting beat up in the wind. I staked some in 2023 and didn't stake some too. Looked like the staked ones did a bit better. 2024 trees I pretty much staked all of them, or used the cage stakes and some some.

My home site is very open and close to a large river valley area.

I don’t believe it helps grow faster. Less support will develop a stronger trunk from the wind. But a stake will ensure a straighter trunk if the trees roots aren’t established yet.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I remove the large tree cage once the tree is tall enough to get above deer browsing on the terminal leader. I leave the aluminum screen on the trunk to protect against vole/mouse damage and put a 4' tall welded wire section on the trunk to protect against buck rub damage. I have probably 50 apple trees protected like this, and I've only had one buck rub the trunk through the welded wire trunk guard. My goal is to have the trees out of the large cages as quickly as possible, so I can then use those cages on a new tree.

We have bears, so we leave our cages on for whatever amount of deterrent they provide. It seems the younger bears are the ones most likely to climb at any time of the year, fruit or not. Mature bears - for the most part around our place - seem content to not waste energy on climbing when they can stroll around eating dropped apples, or forage for food plot greens, acorns, ants, grubs, & berries. I believe we get more damage from coons breaking the top limbs. - - - - But that's our situation ...... YMMV.

 

[BuckSnort]

I’ve gone with smaller fences and pruning lower branches off that the deer will get anyway. I don’t plan on ever removing those cages, apple trees are like a magnet for bucks to rub on and I’m not taking the chance. I did get some rolls of cheap wooden snow fence, it’s not ideal but has worked to keep the deer off the bigger trees, might need an extra stick or fence post to hold it in place.

 

[RGrizzzz]

When to remove cages....