I think my chances are better the most. I just have to get the oak tree off of it and apply some sort of bandage. The rest of the tree is a bit more complicated. It is a multi graft tree and I was trying to air layer 90% of the shiro off into its own tree. The 10% left was one branch and that was ripped clean off.
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I’m so sorry to hear it!
We were in the very southern end of the nor’easter and I was so scared parts of a big tree here would come down. It didn’t! Yay. I had that happen year before last and completely break off (and kill) an apricot tree. The rootstock is nice for grafting, but I wanted that variety and time investment, darnit.
I wonder if it would worthwhile to try to do a little bark inlay across the wound after you get it all pulled together. Just a thought. Anybody ever try it?
Sorry to hear it… I had a big limb break on a pine tree but its just hanging down and did not fall on my multi-graft mulberry like it could have.
It looks like the bark on the backside might be good on that break. If so, stake it up well and in five years it will all be healed. All you need is a thin strip of good bark feeding the top and you will be OK. The deer tried to rub on one of my small jujubes this winter and it was broken nearly completely off. But a small strip of bark remained and I taped and splinted it all together and it should be fine.
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Well treat like a graft if trying to save. Today’s thinking is to leave wounds alone, clean them up, let them heal on their own.
Yes if you don’t want to try to save those limbs just cut them off. They are big enough that I would not try to save those, you could get them to heal but with the angle it would always be a weak joint and need staking indefinitely. They both do look like they can be saved, they have a bit of bark underneath that looks fully intact.
My attempt to shore up the tree. I am thinking about wraping the trunk with Paraffin and spraying that with Pruning seal
You might want to get away from sharp twines and move towards flat bands. The tree needs to stay tied up for at least several months, and there’s a good chance that the cord will cut into the bark.
I’d be inclined to wrap it with parafilm. Don’t know if the pruning sealer is necessary but it probably wouldn’t hurt. Johnny Wax might be a good choice too.
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I agree, I just wanted to get that open wound close quick. Do you have banding recommendations? I’m not sure what to look for.
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It should be OK, those are big branches, I don’t think twine would hurt them for one season. You could pad contact areas with bubble wrap or cloth.
Yes good idea to get it together before it dries out! I myself would not use sealant or wax, you could prevent cambium contact very easily using those products. Parafilm would be fine.
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Is there anything you have lying around that isn’t too ugly? I’m thinking of flat straps or belts, or even wire pushed through old garden hose pieces. I think @Alan suggested bolts and turnbuckles but I may be confused.
I cut up old broken hoses to make a cushion between the bark and the twine.
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Good idea but I dont have any of that.
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This is how I fixed mine thanks to the encouragement of others on this forum http://www.growingfruit.org/t/breaking-off-a-graft-easier-than-you-think/9951. I was ready to cut my losses.
I often use electric tape for such treatments- wrapping it around both the trunk and branch to pull them together. In large branches I use eyescrews and strong wire for added support and a screw with a wide washer through the broken branch into the trunk. The eyescrews and wire act like tree cables. Vinyl tape sometimes girdles pears and apples but stonefruit seems to make it stretch and even break before that happens. For that small branch, I’d use a stake for the added support instead of eyescrews and wire- stake, tape and remove the twine.
I’d also cut back the broken branch quite a bit, although that may not matter. I suspect their is adequate vascular support in place to sustain the entire branch while it heals and tissue from the trunk gradually wraps around the collar and repairs the connection.
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I use trashed bicycle tubes, get them for free in near by bicycle shop. You may use pieces placed between bark and twine.
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I would follow advice from @alan . Use electric tape. Pruning sealer not needed. Keep it supported for 2 yrs. Keep the branch pruned to minimize weight. It should be fine.
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I used twine to bind pull the tree back togahter. I did not use prune sealer but I I think I will this year after a few topical treatments of sulfur and or something.
Before
After
Distance
The entire right Shiro was taken off by the nor’easter. The previous year it looked like the satsuma branch on the left. That year it set 40 fruit which the squirrels got the better of while we where on vacation.
Shiro regrowth.
Shiro being so vigorous regrew 4 good branches from below the break. They are now as tall as limb the boke off but since this is there first spring no flowers.
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