I have been planning to grow several multi graft apple trees and like the idea of a low branching open center to try to keep most of the fruit low enough to pick. At the same time I know deer get into my yard periodically.
As it stands I currently have a bunch of plants in a a 10 x 25 fenced in area including lots of young apples and pears and plums, the year I didn’t put chicken wire down the deer got in and ate a bunch my first year grafts but i’ve kept them out for a year and a half with only chicken wire and then a single strand of monofilament tied to the fence posts above the chicken wire add about 3 foot or possibly 4 foot tall. So they don’t seem super determined.
If I were to grow an open center tree and try to train the ground to top out at 6 to 8 feet would the deer be able to reach almost everything do you think it’s likely they would ?
Just trying to decide if I need to rethink a no-ladder unfenced setup and how high they will be able to reach …