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Crabapples, rabbits and deer

16 years ago

We have some deer, but not too many. I'd like to grow crabapples.

My seedlings get top pruned each winter by deer, and my larger trees get the bark stripped at gound level probably by rabbits.

My plan is to keep them covered in winter and prune them to a tall central stem up to about 8 ft before branching. Keep the base covered to prevent stripping by small animals. My hope is that if I keep the branches high enough, the deer will leave them alone, and once the trunck gets old enough, the rabbits will leave it alone at the base.

Will this work - or am I fighting a loosing battle?

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Comments (4)

MissSherry
16 years ago
Sounds like a good idea to me. What are you planning to cover them with?
Another possibility is to grow your seedlings in pots which you keep behind a fence or other type protection until they get to be about 6' tall or so, then plant them out.
I can sympathize with you - out here in the country, deer, rabbits and armadillos play havoc with my plants. That's why I grow them in containers until they get some size on them before I plant them out - they stand a much better chance of survival.
Let us know how the covering works!
Sherry
Embothrium
16 years ago
Out comes the broken record: you really need effective fencing around the entire planting area. Deer will also strip bark and this can be murder on small trees. They will also do more damage during harsher winters than the rest of the time, even spoiling plants that have been largely ignored for years prior. Their number may also increase where they find a good situation. And so on.

You really need effective fencing.
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Dibbit
16 years ago
If you get significant snow coverage, then the "browse line" will be whatever height above the SNOW level that the deer can reach, not just the height above the ground. While your planned branch height at 8' will do fine for summer-time and fall, if there is lots of snow in the winter, and especially icy, crusty snow that can support a deer's weight, then all bets are off whether you will get deer browsing or not. Apple trees, including crabapples (as you seem to know), are one of their favorite foods.

If you can fence the area the tree(s) will be planted in, such that the deer can't jump the fence easily, and can protect against rabbits and mice nibbling at the bark in winter, then you have a good chance of growing them, whatever the branch height. If secure fencing is not an option, then it's purely a crap-shoot - take your chances, don't spend a lot of money, and don't get TOO attached to the trees. That said, the bigger the tree when you plant it out, and the better you can protect it from both browsing, bark chewing and antler rubs, the more likely you can enjoy them.

The fencing at ground level has to be tight enough that mice can't get through it, and close enough to the ground that they can't burrow under it. The same caveats apply for rabbits regarding snow levels as applied for deer - if the tips of branches are at snow level, and bunnies are moving along over the snow, they can eat the branches, as happily as they would chew bark from the trunk.

I KNOW that crabapples can be grown in deer areas - I grew up with them in rural VT. Unfortunately, I wasn't then interested in HOW they were grown to maturity, so can offer no proven insights. If there are any commercial apple orchards in your area, maybe the owner/manager would be willing to share a few techniques?
wisconsitom
16 years ago
Repellants may be of value here as well. No guaranty, but they might work. One that's gotten good reviews is Plantskydd. It's a blood-based product, and a mess to work with, but can apparently last for months.

+oM

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