Eaten down....again...

secuono

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Oh wait, nvm, took pics and then got distracted and forgot...whoops!
Pic of the tree and the tree eating criminals!
tree-2.jpg

tr-1.jpg
 
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bobm

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This type of fence that is currently around the tree is of no deterant to a horse who wants that piece of candy of a tree. If you want to have this tree to be not pruned and grow, I would recommend that you set some "T" posts at all around and 8' +++ away from the tree, attach new wires to the existing hot wire to go around the tree and back to the hot wire on the other side of the tree in a triangular or better yet a square shape. And keep it HOT ! :)
 

Ridgerunner

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I would not prune that or do anything other than protect it from criminals that show no remorse whatsoever in that photo until this winter and shape and prune it then.
 

897tgigvib

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Sec, I would give up on the Pear tree, or practically any tree being where the animals who like to eat it are.

I know, a dozen super good reasons are foremost in your thinking about why not to take that advise. But the problem will only keep returning and it will always be a struggle.

Once any animal discovers what it likes eating it will try to get it. (I do that with chocolate :) ). (And Donuts!)

Remember, Pears and Apples are what I call "bark sensitive" in that once the bark is damaged, diseases such as fireblight, and all kinds of bad bugs really do tend to get in through the damage. It might take a few years or it might already be happening, and then it spreads like...fireblight.

Your spread is kind of complex shaped and patterned if I recall, with a hill and a drive. You might want to consider putting a new Pear tree in where the culprits will not see it or be near it.

Or go all out building a Fort Knox like I have to have my garden to keep the culprit varmints out.
 

TheSeedObsesser

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I'd have to go with everyone else on letting the tree be and protecting it from that that big, white menace and his henchhorse (henchdonkey? Maybe henchmule?). We once planting a small apple tree and it was mauled by cute little bunny rabbits. The bark around the trees was nearly ringed off and a lot of the branches were missing. That tree later grew back to have a full coat of bark and many branches. When it was a good 10-15ft. I also accidentally hit the same tree with the driven lawnmower, I once again wrecked the bark on the tree. Grew back fine, just had a lot of battle wounds. As long as you have some buds left on the tree, it should grow.
 

secuono

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You guys can't see the fence.
The field fence you can see is for the sheep. Then there is hot wire. I moved the hot wire back 5ft. I'll redo it all together later on. I'll be adding several fences this year and hopefully a second energizer.
When we had snow, the hot wire stopped working and the horse decided to eat the tree. If we didn't get 2ft and then 1ft of snow, the tree would of been fine. This fence that the tree wire is connected to is set up to stop all animals from entering the chicken/rabbit yard, so it's 4in from the ground, up 4in each additional line. So many wires were buried in snow. New energizer won't be able to connect to this area. I'll just have to add tensile wire as well as the hot wire for when it fails later on. But with only a shovel, very rocky ground and a pony who bends TPosts easily, it'll take awhile.

There's also no other place to put the trees, too much junk already too close to the house. All that's left is that small flat area, the flood zone or the mountain sides.
 
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