I've been a long-time beneficiary of the wisdom that's been openly shared on F4F by the many ag-pioneers represented here on the board.   ...But I have only recently registered.  This, in order to tap into this same wealth of knowledge through private messaging, as I really didn't feel that I had a lot to offer to the membership at large on the open board as a relative newbie to the world of ficus.

  One topic that I've been privately discussing with these Fig-Gurus is that of protecting valuable crops and plants from theft.  I thought that this might be of benefit to others as well.

  With some plants and cuttings now commanding hundreds of dollars, their loss can get real expensive, pretty darn quick.  This need for additional security was really brought home to me two nights ago, as my entire crop of mandarins was stripped from my trees overnight...
 
   I had gotten a small 'preview-of-coming-attractions' earlier this month as well, when my dozen Angle Red pomegranate trees met with the same fate.   So, to add a layer of security to the property, I sank ten-foot long, 2 1/2" schedule 40 pipes, three-feet into concrete and erected a six-foot high field fence, backed up by four-foot cattle panels, to help protect the crop.  (But, as they say, locks and fences only keep honest-people honest.)

  At the time of the pomegranate loss, I had also researched creating a hedge around the perimeter of the property that might act as a deterrent for even the most determined of rascals.  And what I settled on was building a hedge out of Kei Apple to guard the homestead.

           


 I found that farmers on the southern tip of Africa have, for generations, used the Kei Apple with its four-inch spikes, to protect their farms from wild boar.  If it can stop those critters, it'll deter our two-legged varmints.

 



  The one factor that gave pause with using Kei is its massive fruit yield.  This works as a safeguard against famine in Africa, but it would promote a strong habitat for the Med-Fly here.  
  

 

  So, to combat this I'm going to be politically incorrect and openly discriminate...   I'll be culling all female plants from those that I've started in the seed beds.  

Sorry gals!

It's unfortunate you have to go to such lengths to protect your fruit. I have my entire garden in my side yard, on the corner of a relatively busy street and so far I haven't had that issue but I'm sure it will eventually be a problem.

First, welcome to the F4F Forum, Bluemalibu! It is nice to have so much knowledge & wisdome here! I must say that your hedge is beautiful. I can see why its's such a great deterrant.

   Thank you for the warm welcome Meg.  

   ...And, I could only wish that the hedge pictured would be mine!  LOL!!   I hope that I didn't give everyone the impression that it is what I currently have...  no, my plants have just now begun sprouting!  I'll be transplanting the male Kei Apple plants around the perimeter of my property, inside the fence line, to create a hedge as pictured.

 Emily,  I fully agree that it is a sad sign of the times, unfortunately.   And I fear that it will only go downhill from here.

   My few acres are probably now situated in the worst of all locations.  They sit just at the outskirts of town, only separated from the Social Security office by the fence that I erected.  Across the street sits the County Services Complex, which houses the Welfare office, the unemployment office, the Child-Support office (Deadbeat Dads Collection service), the Family Services office and the adult Retraining office.  (None of this was here when we bought)  A block away is the probation office, the Superior Court and the County Jail.   So, everyone down on their luck and all of the scofflaws know exactly when our crops are ripe for picking.

  Thus, the reason for our desire for a formidable hedge.      Smiles,   Blue

You might take a look at Osage Orange for a natural fence.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/osage-orange-tree-zmaz85zsie.aspx

Most people are scared of dogs.

I have used Kei apple hybrid before with good results to keep pigs out of the yard, "they kept eating all the sweet potatoes and pineapple leaves".  Its very fast growing and gets 10x15ft in just 2 years from cuttings if left untrimmed.  

Another plant I have been using is "Mysore raspberry".  Its much faster growing, many times more thorns, sharper thorns, that are hooked so they lock into you.  I can't imagine anything but a rhino getting thru a thick hedge of it.  

Here are a few pic of my Mysore raspberry hedges. 

 

What about motion lights that you move around with your ripening crops? 

Glad I could help, technology is moving fast.

Like I said Blue, this is a great forum with lots of great people! Glad you are here to enjoy it. And, I am sure we will learn from you also. Each and every time i log on & read a post, I am inspired, amazed & filled with knowledge :-)! Keep us updated on your hedge/fence project.

Osage Orange and Kei Apple are wicked plants. Bouganvillea is pretty wicked, as well. The biggest problem with thorny fences is getting them up to size in a short time. You might consider chain link, with a "hedge" of thorny things outside of that as a substitute for barbed wire.

Bluemalibu, i have SO MANY QUESTIONS for you! Yes, i had sent you a PM about your Tripple Crown cuttings. I sure wish I could plant a pecan tree in a pot!' And I need to understand dog behavior better. And, although I appreciate vintage cars, im not into metal of any kind....but whoa, beautiful motor! Really, I do have lots of questions I could ask you!

I would be scared with a hedge like that! I would be afraid a kid would get hurt with those thorns,for the sake of a Few Figs! I let some neighood kids in my backyard this summer and let them eat all the Figs they wanted they enjoyed themselves. I told them to always ask for permission to get them...Just my take on it!

Frank

  Meg, you're wonderful; we're going to have to find you one heck of a pot for these pecans!!  While the Pawnee only get about 24-30 feet tall, these trees easily top 100'.

  Frank and Jon,  thank you so much for your thoughts on the hedge...  

       I sure wouldn't be going through all of this trouble for the sake of a few figs!   LOL!!    And I too am a strong believer in your philosophy of sharing with others;  I had hoped to convey that willingness to provide assistance in my post #15 above...  

       To set things into proper perspective, when I erected the fence that I described earlier, I did so INSIDE of my property line.   Outside of the fence, (bordering the street)  I left open for the public:  Five varieties of fig, three of which are large mature trees;  two peach trees, two apricot trees,  two lemon trees, two olive trees, a nectarine, two orange trees, four pomegranate and four mandarin trees. (All mature, bearing trees)

       When a short fence was broached and a dozen Angel Red pomegranate trees were stripped from within my orchard, I built the stronger/taller fence around the balance of the orchard, and researched plants for a possible hedge.

       The tall fence ended up being no deterrent to the thieves...    my fence was cut in three places and my entire mandarin crop was picked clean overnight.  

    A crop loss, as most here are well aware, hits harder than say a theft from a store.  A store can begin re-cooping losses the next day.  A farmer has lost a full year's worth of time, labor, fuel, water and materials. 

 So, before a kid has the chance of being hurt by this hedge, he'll have had to cut his way back through my 6-foot fence again.  And, as the Good Book tells us,  our choices have to have consequences.

      I'll get off my soap box now.  LOL!!!    Thanks again, for all of the input...    Blue

Hi,
It is my take that those trees free to the public have nothing to do there. You're just asking for trouble. You should fence them too ... Action, Reaction ...
As for the fence, just be creative : Use rose trees/bushes - Mine reach 6 feet with no problem. Just trim and stick in the ground, and there comes a new rose tree.
Now, I just have problems with some ladies come touch and steal my roses ... Damn them ! I thought one could see with just the eyes .

But the thorns and the stems are a good deterrent, especially when they catch your pullover or legs or hands ... You'll be screaming . Ladies do too ... And I laugh at that :) . That's called revenge ...
The fact that they grow high, they block the view too. So just choose a rose strain that grows high enough and branches well.

 

 

While I've certainly done a bit of "guerrilla gardening" from city properties (picking a plum or taking a little piece of succulent from a prolific plant), I would NEVER go on to someone's private land and not expect to get shot. So rude. I can understand that some of the folks in your area might be hungry, but stripping a tree indicates that the thief will be selling for profit. I received some dragon fruit cuttings from a generous member here and after your post, I guess I have to consider growing it in the back yard instead of the front like I had planned. I don't mind sharing one bit but the fruit fetch a hefty price and I would be pretty ticked off if all got stolen and I couldn't enjoy eating any or sharing with friends.

It's a sad truth about crop thieves, I too have the two and four footed types. One is legal to shoot but the other is not. Of course (wifey) won't allow me to shoot either :( I have allowed some of my citrus to overhang sections of my fence and given neighbors permission to help themselves to anything they can reach from outside my yard. The neighborhood kids provide hours of entertainment for my old chihuahua mixes. It is actually funny to watch the kids faces change as they try to decide rather our not it's worth the risk to steal an orange, lemon, or tangerine of course those are the new kids in our neighborhood who haven't asked for permission or found out from the other kids that it's okay to take some. If I had the room and energy I would happily put in a neighborhood fruit tree/garden for everyone to enjoy. Other than that for security I know they make the motion sensor water canons/sprayers for birds, that might make it to much trouble for the two footed thieves to bother coming on to your property. You could also do a James Bond type setup a moat with alligators or Piranhas:)  (Kidding) whoa that could lead to some legal issues... Anyway best of luck and keep it legal.

I wish you the best of luck in detering those fruit thieves. It's a rotten thing to have to experience. Unfortunately, a bad element has been stalking around my neighborhood recently, and a few months ago someone broke into our house while we slept. He stole credit cards out of our purses (immediately cancelled before any damage was done), a PS4 plus games, the gamepad off our Wii-U, and was in the process of trying to steal the rest of the game system and television when he heard me get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. That scared him away. He robbed a house about three houses over from us too and more than ten houses total. They caught him, let him out on bail, and two hours later had to pick him up again as he was caught in the process of robbing another house. He'd apparently been selling everything he stole to his drug dealer and passed out on someone's kitchen floor during one of his robberies. Last week an arsonist set someone down the street's trash on fire in the middle of the night, and it spread to their car. He's been caught too, but it's scary stuff in a neighborhood of families and retired folks. I've been looking at planting spiky plants under our windows, but I really miss the days of all my thieves being four-legged or winged.