Apple and pear trees for deer

Anyone growing apple and/or pear trees for deer from seed? I started last year and grew about 30 apples and 10 pears from seed. This year I am growing more pears and some crab apple that I found on our farm that hold the fruit real late in the year from seed.

These trees are just for the critters cause when you grow them from seed you don’t know what kind of apples you will get. I grow them in the basement under a grow light then transplant them to the farm and some near my plots at home in the late spring.

We are going to be planting some apple trees next year. The deer love them and the apricots we already have.

I’m looking to buy 3-6 trees in the 6′ tall range. Do you feel one type is better than another? I’ve got some research ahead of me.

I’ve also wanted to try planting some walnut trees out there. Not sure they’ll like the arid environment though.

From what I have heard the deer devower the pears which is why I started growing them. As far as apples I am not sure it matters to the deer what kind they are but I like to have some of each variety to get different fruit drop times. The crabs that I found still have some fruit on the tree as of last weekend which is an awesome food source this time of year. I would see what kind you can get from your county soil and water dept. I know our county sell 2 different kinds of apple trees for $15 each 3-6′ tall.

As for the walnut trees, I have planted them from seed also, but they grow extremely slow. I can get you some walnuts next year if you want to try planting them. Shoot me a PM if you are interested.

Deer definitely have a preference on the apples…though I couldn’t tell ya what I have. We current lave 7 huge mature apple trees. Of which I guess there is about 4 or 5 different types. We noticed as the season progresses, they move from one tree to another. Again, Im guessing, butr I think it is the time of the fall in which the apples mature and are at peak sugar content. 3 of them are wild apple trees that don’t have good eating apples, but they cook up for apple sauce great. The flesh is nearly pure white and the skin is deep red. The others are ?? from a buddies orchard. Where he dumps his pulp from making cider sprouted a lot of trees. I dug about 50 of them up and transplanted. Bucks took care of rubbing about 30 of them up, my dad took out about 10 with the tractor/equipment, and the rest are just weird. One of them only produces apples every other year, another has golden apples that the deer won’t touch, couple have apples that never ripen. 20 years ago, I wish I would have bought 4 or 5 a year from a nursery and continued that tradition. On of my regrets with my farm.
Good luck!
BTW – I have a Bartlet pear tree in my back yard at my house. As soon as they ripen, the deer come about 500 yrds out of a wetland to eat everyone that they can reach!

Going to being doing some major food plot work this spring. I have also thought about adding some apple trees. I hunt in far NW MN. Is this an option for me or does it not get warm enough for the correct amount of time?
DT

Oh yeah, it’s possible. you just have to choose the correct kind of tree for the climate. They grow apples well into Canada.

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Oh yeah, it’s possible. you just have to choose the correct kind of tree for the climate. They grow apples well into Canada.

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Agreed. Call to a local extension office would probably be a good start. I know out in SD we have a county extension agent who is very helpful with tree programs etc….