I’ve had a few of these trees eaten by either rabbits or deer in the winter because I guess the cages didn’t go high enough. Any way to save a tree where the bark has been chewed all the way around? Thanks!
You could bridge graft, but that’s young enough and the damage is high enough that I’d consider chopping it below the damage and bark grafting new scion to it.
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You definitely need taller cages… I use 50" cages here. I dont let them branch up and out until they reach the top of that cage. My main concern here is deer.
Below is example of bark graft improved kiefer pear to a callery pear transplant.
TNHunter
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Does anyone have a good tutorial for bridge grafting? I have a persimmon that got chewed about halfway around. So kinda in a similar situation as above.
I think it’s on D. Lotus with saijo as the tree. I have wild American persimmons around me… Would those work for the bridge or would I run into delayed compatibility problems possibly? Also is it too late to do the graft? Wait till fall?
It was chewed in late fall(still had leaves) and has leafed out again this spring. My mom wants to try n save the top part for various reasons so cutting to the rootstock and regrafting isn’t really an option.
If it’s only halfway it should be fine. It will slowly close off the wound more and more every season. When the tree is girdled all around is when it faces being top-killed.
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amazing. thank you!
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got it. sounds like a plan. thank you.
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I use a similar cage but i would roll up the cage the opposite way so that the upper and lower edges have the cut wires exposed to disturb voles at the soil and bunnies that try climbing. Id also suspect that could be deer eating or rubbing damage of the cage had the pokey wires exposed to the up side.
Is there a particular time of year that I would graft? (I’m sure it’s obvious by now that I am new to fruit tree growing so thank you for indulging novice questions) I’ve never attempted grafting before. I know that I probably shouldn’t be cutting my own scions this late in the spring? I’m southwestern Ontario. So is it best to order some and graft right away? I guess the bigger question is how long after suffering that kind of damage will the roots/trunk remain viable? Also is that a particular kind of grafting tape, gauze etc?
@Ari … normally you graft in the spring not long after the rootstock starts pushing new growth and when you have a warm week ahead.
Did your damaged tree send out any new growth… shoots and leaves above the damage ? Or below the damage ?
The light colored tape that I am using in my grafts is called parafilm. And the black tape is a rubber electeical liner type tape (very stretchy and sticky).
I get my parafilm from fedco… and my rubber splicing tape from Lowe’s.
I grafted some late blooming apples (flowering group 4) here in TN last couple of weeks. They are pushing buds and small leaves thru parafilm now.
There are several people demonstrating bark grafts on youtube…that is where I learned the details of how it is done.
TNHunter
Thanks so much TN I will continue to watch all the grafting videos and I look forward to trying it. I know you are supposed to take scions while dormant, but I’m wondering if it might work to try to take some from the same tree above the damage now and try grafting them now, even though they are likely no longer dormant? Also do you use some kind of sealant for the bark cut and the graft. I’ve seen people use wood glue? Seems kind of toxic to the tree no? Lastly, any idea if the roots are likely to still be viable if I wait, collect scions this winter and try to graft next spring? Just not sure how long I could expect the roots to be viable once the tree is girdled.
Your tree is girdled high, above the graft. You don’t need to re-graft it. Just cut it where it is girdled. It will grow back vigorously. As it is growing back, pinch off any growth coming from the base or ground; that might be from the rootstock. This will direct its energy to the higher grafted portion. It may take a while for it to develop buds, but they will grow quickly once sprouted.
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Wow. Ok, so just cut it right below the girdled portion, and it will sprout at the cut point?! So I don’t seal it at all, I gather? The picture is from a few weeks ago and now there are buds above the girdle point. Do I cut it off now or wait until it’s dormant again in the winter?
Yeah I should’ve assumed and seen your graft way down below behind the fencing. Yeah cut the girdled part off. That’s old wood so it’ll take a little time, but it will resprout eventually.
Anything above the girdled point is just growing off of stored energy. It’s cutoff from the rootstock and will eventually die. There’s nodes hiding in that old wood that will hopefully try to push some new growth. It’s possible it just tries to sucker at the base too.