This is normal, right? Our temps are pretty mild here but sometimes things grow a lot in a short time. This is on the ESE side. Should I do something to help this? I notice that is kind of along the paint line, though that’s not easy to see in the pic. I just painted more or less on the South side. I guess if paint helps with borers, I should probably paint all around. Not great photos…one from outside the vole screen; one looking down, inside the screen.
Some of my trees did that too. One of them got Black Knot. Pretty sure the fungus didn’t cause the splitting, but occured because of it.
What is the species? It is something I’ve not quite seen before- at least how the photo represents it. Cracks that don’t break the cambium sheath are usually harmless and a sign of vigorous growth. If there is healthy green tissue between the scars and the wood, I wouldn’t worry about it.
This is a Toka plum. I’ll take a look for the green. Things do have huge growth spurts here at times and I figured that’s what had happened, but with my tiny bit of experience so far, I don’t trust my opinion. Thanks!
I’d give it a coat of something to avoid Jessica’s plight but I don’t think my little trees liked my paint so well…I don’t think it’s an unrelated coincidence that this split basically follows the paint pattern. I should probably thin it more…it is high grade stuff and it was at least a 65% paint mixed with H20.
Like Alan mentioned, is the tree growing vigorously? If yes, that’s normal.
The paint doesn’t contain any kind of antibiotics (anti-mildew or anti-moss), does it. Some paints do contain phyto-toxic chemicals.
I’ve seen this. I think its just growth. I believe my hybrid plum did the same thing. I’d have to look, it’s pretty big now.
That’s a good question, Alan. The usual suggestion is some cheap, interior, water-based latex and I ended up with some pricey stuff, and I think it was too much something…maybe too tough, with some additives. The exterior type has those additives that you describe and is tough and elastic…not good. Like I said, I could have thinned it quite a bit more. Several of my tiniest seedlings croaked soon after getting painted, and several others seems to be set back a bit. I need cheaper paint.
My Hudson’s Golden Gem has deeper cracks than that, but they always fill in. The tree is a strong grower.
Excellent. Most of the things I worry about seems to work themselves out, but at my stage I need to ask about nearly everything that first time.
That apple was found just a few miles from where I live, and I’ve thought of acquiring one. I know they grow here, eh?
The paint container would clearly state if it had such ingredients, I believe.
If you Pm me at the beginning of February, I will send you out some scionwood for the cost of shipping.
Thanks! This coming Winter I may have some scion wood, too. Since my trees are so young I’m not sure they qualify; so, I’ll look into that, and how to PM…should be easy, I’ve just never done it. Also, I could make a list of all the cultivars I have because my approach to having ‘two of this (fruit) and two of that’ included a lot of scion swapping as part of the master plan to make most everything into a multi-tree.