I left some black corrugated piping on last season, I just didn’t get around to doing anything and by mid-summer I figured I’d leave it. I took it off today and there’s roots growing, which I appear are the cause of burr knots, on the apple trees (but not the pears and peaches). The trees are only a few years and these roots are of course all near the bottom of the trunk where it was shaded all season last year. I’ve included a picture of the worst example. Is this something to worry about?
Where you been uncle Joe? Gosh I’ve been looking for you ever since the Lobby went to Politics and you started the first Covid one which I didn’t read, ha ha, anyways, “no is your answer” and they will continue to develop in the perfect atmosphere, br, Dax
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Hmm. If it were me, I’d be inclined to mound soil around the base up to (but not beyond) the graft scar. MM111 is best planted with only an inch or two of rootstock exposed to avoid this sort of thing.
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I had exact same thing on four trees. The recommendation to me at the time was to do some sanding to smooth off the roughest spots. I followed that up with some neem poultice. It may not have helped but made me feel better.
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I still feel bad about that pawpaw thing. And speaking of pawpaws — my Sunflower must have 100 flower buds swelling right now. There’s maybe 10 on the Shenandoah, and ONE on the KSU-Atwood (which is also the largest tree). Maybe I’ll get some this year. Are these flowers frost sensitive?
I just haven’t come around but right now I have some things to plant. 1 Chicago Hardy fig, 2 of @BobVance’s figs, and 1 “World’s Best” mulberry all in pots overwintered in the garage and are still alive. I want to put 1 of each in the ground, leaving a spare of Bob’s fig in a larger pot than what it’s in right now. I got 1/3 of an acre and told myself I’d keep the gardening to a minimum. Now I wish I had a lot more. I have a friend with a hobby farm on 7 acres and it’s not nearly large enough for what he’s doing. Once you get into having animals like he has, it’s never enough.
Are you saying you’d just leave the little roots as they are and let it all heal on its own? I’m concerned about this being right at the base of the tree.
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Thing is it goes so high, it’d be quite the mound.
If you don’t think that a mound is feasible, you can try to remove the knots. @SkillCult has a YouTube video on this very subject.
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I also would vote for the mound of dirt
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Thanks for the link!
How high of a mound of dirt is too high? This is probably 9 inches or a foot up there.
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So it’s generally recommend to have the graft union ~ 2 inches or so above ground ,
A wheel barrel or so…
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I’ll have to look again but I’m pretty sure that would go above the graft union. This was from Century Farm Orchards.
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Shout out to Century Farms and Dave! 
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