I need to replace the stakes for my mini dwarf apple trees ( a ravenous racoon bent the last ones) and am looking for some ideas or suggestions for something decorative but simple as I don't have a lot of carpenter skills.
If you're looking for something that will last the life of the tree, go to a plumbing supply house and have them cut a 20' long length of 3/4" copper pipe into three equal pieces. The lengths will be just over 6' long, allowing you to pound 2' of them into the ground leaving 4' above ground to tie the tree to.
Thanks for the idea which got me to brainstorming. If I used rebar I could slip the copper pipe over the rebar and if I cap the pipe with something round (your plumbing recommendation-copper toilet floats, glass orbs, door knobs, tennis balls) and place bird netting over them during harvest season I can be the one to get the apples and not racoons. I may have to go higher than 4 foot as my mini dwarfs seem are trying to be 6 feet. Perhaps I should be pruning them harder? Thanks a lot for your recommendation.
