Planting apple trees for deer

I did this years ago. I got them from Stark Bros. They have 1 year free replacement. I got the first ones that drop in Mid Sept and the last ones get ripe in Oct.

Yes, I have a few just starting to produce apples. Should probably plant a few more.

You definitely need to "cage" them. Do a +/- 4' diameter hoop of 5' to 6' tall fence wire held in place by fence posts around the sapling or the deer will quickly destroy the sapling. Around bottom 2' of the cage, wrap screen wire to keep the rabbits and mice out best you can or they will chew the bark off base of sapling in the winter.

What ever happen to "June Apples Trees"?? My Grandparents had one in their backyard. Apples were green in color even when they were ripe around the 4th of July. As for Korean Oaks being invasive, they are not any more invasive than other species of oaks. Some call them "Saw-tooth Oaks" and they do produce a lot of acorns which are eaten by almost any animals from Squirrels, Turkey, and Deer.

I wouldn't plant saw tooth either. How can something be more or less invasive? It's an invasive species.


They say the same thing every time from kudzu to jumping carp and those filthy stinking lady bugs.

Just say no and kill it.

I will be happy if 20 make it. I have Pecan trees that have been producing for years. They taste so much better than store bought.

Thanks for the replies. I always thought apple trees would be a pain to keep alive and grow. I know what you mean about the darn rabbits or deer tearing then up before they even get started. I did plant some of those sawtooth oaks years back and they are producing acorns now but I seen an article from the QDMA on sawtooths and they do not recommend planting them because they say after about 30 years they begin to die off. I think I may just stick to a few clover plots and do more hinge cutting for bedding and browse. Hinge cutting is free except for your time and maybe some chainsaw fuel.

You introduce a good point, in your post, about "some" foreign plants/trees being invasive, Jack.  To be honest, there are many-many plant imported into this country that are invasive.  The Asian Lady Beetles are another story too.   Still would like to know why one doesn't see June Apple Trees anymore (?)

Sounds like the apple tree I am referring to.

OK, I'm paying attention now.

I had to do a little research just to feel I had a grip on what it is, a june apple tree. Never heard that terminology before.

homeguides.sfgate.com/carolina-red-june-apple-tree-plants-54756.html

I have asked around from old people and a few orchard owners about different varieties of apple trees. Mainly because like you "I remember..." and apple trees I see and buy today just don't seem the same any more.

Short answer, they AREN'T THE SAME ANY MORE.

I had a green apple tree at one of my old houses that bore apples it seemed all summer long. It was about half shaded by the house and half shade the rest of the day by the rest of the trees lining the street and then there was the neighbor house 20 feet away from MY HOUSE. Yet that apple tree had great big giant, sweet, bug free awesome green apples it seemed all summer. We never bought apples. We cut and peeled and froze and dried and gave away apples all summer like there was no end to them on top of eating as many as anyone wanted or walked by and wanted.

From ONE TREE.

NEVER trimmed it, sprayed it, fertilize it, nothing. Just pick 'em and eat em.

When I moved the new owner cut that down with in a year.

That's where all your old genetic stock apple trees went. I've bought a dozen different kinds of apple trees since all of them added together don't hold a candle to that ONE APPLE tree.

Go ask an orchard owner. They know the low down but you can plant seeds from an apple you buy at the grocery and that thing will never grow an apple in our lifetime. They are genetic freaks grafted together, cloned and what ever hokey pokey they do to manipulate produce now.

You have to go out specifically looking for the old species trees or find a nursery specializing in it. There are a few. There are a couple trees resistant to cedar rust, I think they produce a green apple if I remember right.

Property today can go through 10 owners over 20 -30 years now adays and all it take is one dumb ass kid who don't want to pick up apples, or cherries, or rake a leaf or "read on the internet these chinese asia grass harp trees are really great..." and the genetics created by surviving in this environment for 10,000 years is ashes out by the curb.

Now everyone who lives in that house from now until for ever is enslaved to Kroger foods to buy apples at 3 dollars a pound. $5 a pound for cherries.... raspberries, grapes... all were right there waiting to be picked on less than a 1/4 acre lot in the middle of downtown Rushville.

Nope, cut that down.

centuryfarmorchards.com/descripts/osapage3.html