Best Apple Trees For Deer In Michigan

Best tree species for tree plots for deer and wildlife as we mentioned most people assume you re talking about apple trees when they think of orchards and tree plots for deer.

Best apple trees for deer in michigan.

This freedom apple tree is annually productive with an abundance. The 6 best tree species for planting a deer orchard. Remember to space your trees at 25 30 ft. With 9 2 million apple trees michigan ranks third nationally in apple production.

The story of the american chestnut tree is a sad one. This grafted apple tree is one of the best apple trees for deer. Apples and most crabapples cannot handle wet feet. That will help nourish a lot of deer.

Other people use the name crabapple to refer to apple trees growing wild not cultivated. James kroll has conducted trials in which he discovered that deer choose chestnuts over acorns at a rate as high as 100 to 1. Fruit plot growers will most likely never achieve these types of yields but a goal of 2 4 bushels per tree or around 400 bushels per acre is highly realistic. Pear trees can grow 50 feet tall and thrive in wetter areas than apples.

Most michigan apples are grown north of grand rapids. Commercial apple orchards can easily produce 1 000 bushels per acre of fruit. In the 1800s the magnificent chestnut was the dominant hardwood in what. Most think a crabapple is a small bitter apple actually some crabapples are sweet and some true apples are bitter.

In 2014 michigan growers harvested 24 million bushels of. In the north early spring. That s 42 000 pounds of potential deer feed on 1 acre of ground nearly six times as much tonnage per acre as corn. Apples require an optimum ph of 6 0 6 5 with rich well drained soil.

The tree you see pictured above is the same tree i use for my grafted trees. If you planted a full acre it could yield potentially over 10 tons of fruit. It has also proven to be one of if not the best trees to plant for wildlife deer included. The best time to plant in the south is fall and winter.

Not only are they highly attractive to deer dunstan chestnuts can start producing mast in as soon as three to five years. Freedom is a very productive tree that produces apples a year sooner than some of the other very popular disease resistant apple varieties. Most problematic for deer hunters is the long list of improved crabapple varieties from which to choose.