White-tailed deer frequently damage landscaping and crops, and fruit trees are a common target. Apricot trees, like other stone fruits, are susceptible to browsing and can suffer significant harm from deer feeding. Tree owners must implement measures to prevent deer from consuming parts of the tree and compromising its health. Damage is not limited to a single season or portion of the tree, requiring year-round vigilance.
Deer Preferences: Fruit, Foliage, and Bark
Deer are highly attracted to the sweet taste of ripe apricots, which are a dense source of calories and nutrients. The fruit is a preferred food source when available, typically from mid-summer into the early fall. Deer consume both fallen fruit on the ground and fruit hanging from lower branches they can reach.
Beyond the fruit, deer also consume the foliage, including leaves, buds, and tender shoots. This browsing can severely impact the tree’s ability to photosynthesize and set fruit for the following year. Young apricot trees are particularly susceptible because their entire structure is often within the deer’s reach, which is up to six feet from the ground.
During periods of food scarcity, deer also consume the bark and twigs of the apricot tree. Damage to the bark is often caused by girdling, where the deer completely removes a strip of bark around the circumference of the trunk. Girdling damages the tree’s vascular system and can lead to the death of the tree above the damaged section.
Seasonal Risk Factors and Deer Behavior
Deer feeding intensity changes throughout the year, driven by nutritional needs and seasonal behaviors. Late winter and early spring are periods of heightened risk for browsing damage on apricot trees. At this time, the deer’s fat reserves are depleted, and they seek out palatable, nutrient-rich dormant buds and new spring growth to replenish energy.
Conversely, late summer and early fall present a risk because of the ripening fruit, which offers a high-calorie food source before winter. Deer are also a threat to the bark of young trees during the autumn months due to the rutting season. Male deer, or bucks, rub their antlers against trunks from early September through November to remove the velvet covering and mark their territory. This rubbing causes mechanical damage that can completely strip the cambium layer from one to six feet above the soil line.
The young, smooth bark of saplings is especially vulnerable to this type of territorial marking behavior. Understanding these seasonal patterns allows for targeted protection efforts when a tree is most at risk.
Effective Strategies for Protecting Apricot Trees
The most reliable method for protecting apricot trees from consistent deer damage involves installing physical barriers. A permanent exclusion fence is the most effective solution for an entire orchard or yard. To deter deer from jumping, a woven wire or high-tensile plastic mesh fence should be at least eight feet tall.
For individual trees, especially young ones, constructing a wire cage or placing a protective trunk guard is a practical alternative. A cage made of concrete reinforcing wire positioned three to four feet away from the trunk prevents both browsing and antler rubbing. Tree guards, typically plastic sleeves, wrap directly around the trunk to prevent bark damage caused by bucks.
Another approach involves the use of deterrents, which can be divided into taste-based and odor-based repellents. Odor-based products, such as those containing putrefied egg solids, blood meal, or hanging bars of strong-scented soap, repel deer through smell. Taste-based repellents must be applied directly to the foliage and work by making the plant unpalatable.
Repellents are most effective when applied before damage begins, and they must be reapplied frequently, especially after rainfall or new growth. It is advisable to rotate between different types of repellents, as deer can quickly become accustomed to a single product. Deterrents are best used for managing light, occasional browsing pressure, while a physical fence remains the most dependable measure for severe activity.