This is an example of how I have started to protect trees and other plants from deer. I make a circle of chicken wire around the plant and then secure the wire to one or two lengths of rebar driven into the ground.
I planted a number of trees this spring. Although it is generally forested, the western part of the property has been cleared of understory to the extent that there are only three species of tree left there - cedar elm, post oak and blackjack oak. Some areas have been cleared of all but the post oaks (which tend to be the largest), and there are a few meadows where it appears there never were trees.
The eastern side of the property has a wide variety of smaller trees and I expect all of it was that way at one time. Some people prefer a savannah-like area with grassy areas between large trees. I don’t especially mind that look but I do want a bigger variety of trees.
I’ve chosen two other kinds of oak - monterrey oak and lacey oak - neither of which is actually native to this area. They are native a little further to the southwest however and I think they will add a little diversity and grow faster than the kinds of oak which are here. I have also planted texas persimmon, redbud, eve’s necklace, yaupon holly and mexican plum, all of which are said to be native to the area, although the yaupon holly and the eve’s necklace are the only ones I have actually seen here. Mesquite and ashe juniper spring up everywhere and I’m allowing a few to survive in the areas where I want more trees.
That’s an eve’s necklace in the cage. It was being attacked mercilessly by the deer before I added the protection. They ignore the yaupon holly and the persimmon though.
Comments (7)
I have a few dozen trees inside their protective fence cages. It seems to keep the deer away (though apparently not the ground hogs — you might want to stake the bottoms of the fence). How deep have you driven that rebar? I had to use steel fence posts because the wooden stakes and rebar I used were no match for the deer.
Kudos for reforesting your area. You made such good choices. The little trees look like they’re in prison, but they know it’s for their own good.
I lost one of my native redbuds today. It was just old.~~Dee
We don’t seem to have groundhogs out here Pablo. Other animal pests we have seem to dig up the ground looking for insects but they haven’t bothered any of the tree plantings yet.
So far rebar seems to be working. The chicken wire is not the best fencing to use because the holes are a little too big and its possible to get an antler caught in one. However there was a roll of it already here.
If only we could train the deer to just eat poison ivy and privet…
Kman is having problems with rabbit and deer feasting at his new job. He got the front flower bed at the admin bldg all pretty with moss rose and other flowering plants only to discover in less than a week they had become items on a critter salad buffet.
Gotta find something the deer and rabbits don’t like…
Your photo reminds me of the cages in the yard at our previous house, Bill - even trees that look substantial can be ripped apart when the young bucks try to impress each other.
Some day those little trees will outgrow their predators and you’ll have quite an arboretum!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Yep, yep, yep. I feel your pain about the deer. I don’t think old roses look so good in cages. That’s what our deer eat most. I am grateful they have other things to much on when my garden is in full swing.
Robin at Bumblebee