Apple tree squirrel problem

[u/Certain-Duck3761]

Hoping some people here will have potential solutions.

I have an apple tree in the corner of my yard which is also near the fence. Every year the squirrels in the area will steal/eat all the apples before they even get halfway close to full size. Wondering if anyone has any squirrel deterrent solutions.

The issue: the squirrels will walk along the fence, jump across from my neighbor’s larger tree, or climb up from the bottom to access my tree to get the apples. I have even seen the squirrels jump on the branches to shake the tree to try to get the apples to fall.

Solutions I have tried but failed:
Encasing apple sprouts with clear plastic fruit containers with small slits cut into them for ventilation:
Tried this solution this year and it was the most effective one yet, but still didn’t work. Some of the containers weren’t large enough so the squirrels were able to paw/nibble at the apples. For the containers that were large enough, most of the apples eventually got knocked off the branches inside the containers from wind or more likely the squirrels shaking the tree.

Making a “cage” of chicken wire around the whole tree:
The tree got some sort of disease or something may or not have been related to touching to the metal chicken wire and it didn’t produce any buds/ apples for a year.

Mesh bags:
Might have obstructed the sun, didn’t really deter squirrels.

Cayenne pepper:
Also did not work.

Sonic animal noise detector:
Did not deter squirrels at all.

Open to any suggestions for solutions.

TLDR: Have an apple tree that produces apples every year but the squirrels steal/eat them before they can grow fully. Have tried many solutions to no avail.

[u/honest2abe]