what size cages and wire?

[THE LLC]

Is it really necessary to make the cage smaller over time to keep fruits out? Anyone ever had a deer or bear tear up a cage trying to get fruit on the inside. I think im going to try the 4ft cage with 6x6 gaps and use 16ft of wire to make a little wider.

Yep. I've had them use five feet tall, 2"x 4" welded wire cages for ladders to get to pears.

 

[Charlieyca]

Most of this years trees are either shrubs (small trees or oaks. My native oak sprouts show no sign of browse, so those trees will get tubed no cage. With my other trees and shrubs, i think I will cage try 5ft cage and tube , except for the bush type hazelnut and dogwoods.

 

[THE LLC]

I've learned with newly planted chestnut trees to cage them until April then tube. Putting them in tubes at planting will cause them to start growing early and our early April freezes then kill them. Caging them until mid April seems to keep them colder and less likely to start growing early. Then tubing in mid to late April really gets them going. Usually they are out of the cages by summers end.