Deer vs Fraiser Fir

[wysiwyg]

I was greeted by this lovely sight this morning. It is about 5 feet tall and girdled all the way around about 2 feet off the ground. It was supposed to be a speciman tree. Can the tree still be attractively shaped with what's left or should I just move it somewhere less visible and replace it?

 

[pmuscato]

Did you want the tree to be full to the ground? If so you may want to start over. Try some type of fencing for protection. Good luck.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Larry Sez:

Maybe this might scare them off...

 

[Sheshovel]

Definately replace it and everyone should know to protect all small tree's they plant if they want them to survive. I place a circle of pigwire taller than the tree and about 3' from the outside foilage and pin it into the ground all round,then I cut a circle and wire it to the top.Or you can use a "Scarecrow"by scatmat..its a batt operated device that sences the deer movement and shoots them with water.
Would freeze in winter though.

Hey Cable guy,I lived and went to high school in Running Springs for a little while yeARs ago.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

...Or you can use a "Scarecrow"by scatmat..its a batt operated device that sences the deer movement and shoots them with water.
Would freeze in winter though.

I gotta get me one of them for the front porch of my trailer...

Sheshovel: We just moved up here from San Diego last March...why didn't I do that sooner??

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I can think of two reasons....

1. Because you couldn't afford it.
2. Because you weren't smart enough.

Big Bear is better than down the hill, by a long shot.


Assuming you don't mind the shaking now and then.

 

[HELSEL]

I was greeted by this lovely sight this morning. It is about 5 feet tall and girdled all the way around about 2 feet off the ground. It was supposed to be a speciman tree. Can the tree still be attractively shaped with what's left or should I just move it somewhere less visible and replace it?

We have tree farms in Mich.If the tree was mine I would cut the top out.It will take a few years to grow a new one but it will.The best way to keep deer away from your trees is to go to the barber shop and get a bag of human hair.Put holes in the bag tie it to the tree.They will not come close to it.


Rick Helsel

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

1. Because you couldn't afford it.
2. Because you weren't smart enough.

Yeah, how did you know?
I'm just grateful that the price of aluminum cans went up so that I don't have to spend so much time scrappin' and I can enjoy my trailer more. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get by on just three welfare checks per month?

 

[HELSEL]

I think this forum is to try to help home owners!!!!I am sure if they wanted larry the cable they would go to some comedy site....


Rick Helsel

 

[Sheshovel]

I am now in the southern Sierra Navada...right by Yosemite,and that's good in winter,bad in summer..but all the Sierras are beutifull to me...Bass Lake ring a bell?

 

[Sheshovel]

HESEL,the deer around here would simply laugh at such a trivial attempt to detour them,
they would rip the bag of hair right off in one smooth motion and rub their antlers to their hearts content..Hair ha!
Just like Irish Spring soap on a rope is supposed to keep um away too tell it rains..

 

[Sheshovel]

And one more thing,mountain lion scent...real smart idea to sprinkle THAT around your property to keep the deer away...heck I'd rather be suprised by a deer when I walk around the corner that a big cat!
Though Deer ARE the #1 killer of men when it comes to animals.

 

[wysiwyg]

I've already tried all of the suggested preventative measures to no avail. The deer population is so high in these parts that nothing seems to stop them but wire cages. And we have to many trees this size that it gets to be cost prohibitive to protect them all.

Just wanting to be sure, if I were to try to force a lateral branch on this Fraiser fir into becoming a leader, I will end up with an ugly looking tree in say 10-20 years?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The tree looks fine to me. If you look at an older tree, there are no branches from several feet up to the ground. So all those limbs are temporary anyway.
Make a nice mulch ring around it, using a nice layer of good compost, throw a handful of moth balls down 2 or 3 times a year, and water it during drought. Two or three years from now you'll never know the difference.

 

[pinus]

I´m in trouble with deers too, oh my pines were attacked by them.
Probably, you can grow new leader from the branch. Young trees are surviving such damages. Rather clear is, that you will not get tree with perfect shape. Something can be improved with the inteligent pruning on the future years

 

[wysiwyg]

Thanks for the replies. I still fear that I'm being too vague about the situation, so here is another picture showing with a red line where I will have to cut it off becuase of the girdling. Let me know if this is different than what you were assuming when you replied...

 

[Sheshovel]

The only problem is..once they pick a tree to do this on,they tend to do it on the same tree over and over,unless you protect it,your gonna be outa luck.

 

[wysiwyg]

Thanks, I'll be sure to get some hardware cloth and mulch around this one.

 

[wysiwyg]

My fraiser has sent out 5 or 6 sprouts that are growing vertically around the wound. Should I thin them to one leader now? Any suggestions on which one to pick or just the tallest and strongest looking one? Thanks!

 

[pbtree]

And one more thing,mountain lion scent...real smart idea to sprinkle THAT around your property to keep the deer away...heck I'd rather be suprised by a deer when I walk around the corner that a big cat!
Though Deer ARE the #1 killer of men when it comes to animals.

Try a 30.06...