[AlaninCarlisle]

A couple of years ago I planted three apple trees that are on root-stocks that create low-hanging branches and the local rabbit population just decimate the crop. So far I've been propping branches up with a variety of home-made devices comprised of lengths of metal tubing with Y--shaped twigs etc jammed in the top of them. Last count there were 11 such props under the trees. As this is unlikely to be a unique problem, I wondered if there was a proprietary solution I could buy somewhere. Alternatively, has anyone any thoughts on this? Anyone found a better solution?

[Lardman]

Maypole it  - Single central post then strings to hold the branches up.
Central leader / modified central leader - Change the tree shape and keep the branches short assuming you're growing as an open centre at the moment.
Rabbit fencing around each tree.

All depends really - are the trees for fruit or for the aesthetics of a miniature tree ?

[AlaninCarlisle]

The trees are for fruit. I was a little careless in not checking their rootstock eccentricities. They and others are dotted around a paddock that we use for dog-agility training so fencing is not really a practical answer.

Interested in your Maypole suggestion. Is this a proprietary product or do I design and build?

[Lardman]

I doubt you'll find anything off the shelf, but T&M and Marshalls do a version for climbing plants, I don't imagine it would be beefy enough for fruit but the design should help.  It's essentially festooning upsidedown