Hello,
I was hoping to get some skilled eyes on these photos. I’ve got a young apple tree with some serious damage at the base of the trunk. I don’t know what happened but was hoping to turn it around. Is there something I can do to help it out? It’s leaning in one direction because of the way the branches grew and the grafting I suppose. Should I peg it up with a supplimental leg? Any advice given is greatly appreciated.
-Jenny in Berkley, Massachusetts
If you’re OK with making some very big changes the tree can be saved. Myself, I would remove that great big branch that juts to the right in the picture. That would entail several cuts with the last cut going through the point where the big branch is attached to the tree. I know that’s almost all your tree, but the way it’s growing it’s likely to break off on its own once it gets a big load of apples on it anyway - I just don’t think the trunk below that big branch will grow enough to provide a good support for it.
That would leave you with a new central leader and from there you would quickly have chance at a new, well structured tree.
But before you make that cut get some other opinions, and maybe post pictures of the tree from different angles so we can see what that other growth is.
Big cuts make big wounds which can lead to other issues so I do agree that the larger side branch could be cut back but consider doing it in increments over time to reduce the amount of stress put on the tree all at once.
Looks like a good candidate for a bridge graft as well if you’re up for it.
If it was my tree, I’d regraft below the damage or preferably on one of the young branches/suckers close to the ground and straighten it to grow upright. I’d remove anything above the damage. As mentioned above, it is a weak spot. Sooner or later the tree would break - you already have bark (not just “skin”) on the trunk, so I would ot expect the calus growth to swallow the hole and cover up the damage soon enough.
I agree with @Tana. I would graft on to that sprout on the left and then eventually just take out the old tree in a couple of years. You could put a crutch under that big branch for this year until you get the graft going and hopefully at least get a harvest before you remove it.
But maybe a couple of photos from other sides/angles would be helpful like @marknmt mentioned.
I am actually doing the same on my x sorbus hybrid. I’ve discovered that while I was recovering from back surgeries this happened to the hidden side of the trunk:
It looks like that wound is already well underway to healing over. That big branch could be removed as suggested, but I would consider that leaving it will likely encourage faster thickening of the trunk which will help the wound to heal faster. Really though, there will be no perfect answer and apple trees can handle a lot. Damage like this can bring in rot that causes the trunk to become hollow as the tree ages. Many would find that concerning, but honestly, apples seem adapted to living like that. Many of them fall over and/or hollow out as they age and are more likely to die from someone chain sawing them up than from the actual damage they live with.
Awesome feedback, thank you very much. I’m going to prune back the larger branch above the trunk damage as suggested, early next spring. I’ll update if I do anything in the meantime with more photos.
Just my 2 cents if its even worth that but @etheth32992 has a good point about cutting back over time. It looks like just below the green label there are several vertical shoots. In my experience healing at base of a branch certainly goes faster when those long vertical shoot are pulling water thru the arear and sending copious nutrients back down. I think thats @JohannsGarden point too.
I would make that my pruning point at the green label. And then probably cut the verticals this winter down to about 2 ft max above that to lessen the lateral stress of the load. It will need a support. But scrap 4x4 will do that all day. We have 150 year old heirloom trees in my area that have virtually NO trunk. Theyre held up but half a side of bark it looks like and they still produce. Chainsaws are the big enemy. But i like having a backup or two so a couple of those suckers might get whatever variety i wanted to make sure i kept budgrafted in August. It looks like its healing - hit it with some wound protectant to keep out the bugs and the rot. It should be fine in a couple yeat with support and a good pruning.
Good luck and welcome again to the forum.
