It’s been about 8 hours and they are looking mostly back to normal. So I guess that answers my own question.
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What could be doing this damage? I thought it was deer but it’s also on the underside of that branch and only 1.5 feet off the ground. Would it still be deer? This is the 3rd tree damaged this spring (all pawpaw).
I would still say deer. Around here the rub is about 3’ to about half a foot from the ground.
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I second KCs deer damage. It’s a feel good kind of thing for the deer.
Everything from a light rub to other trees total destruction.
I have a multi stem willow in the woods that they tear up each year. Not a branch on it that hasn’t been rubbed on from 1’ to 3.5’
They like to rub on paw paw in my experience. With Basswood or linden being the favorite hands down. I think it the soft stringy bark. Tree lilacs are a close second.
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Anyone having issues with herbicide overspray from nearby activity?
A new land manager is working fields around my outparcel. My trees are 10’ from the line. The adjacent tract had been in pasture for at least a decade. The land was turned and planted and now the leaves on apple trees look very wilted. The wind has been bad and it’s been dry, but I’ve never seen apple trees wilt like this. It’s not fire blight because these trees don’t blight and every leaf on the tree is affected. I would be quite upset if my 18 year Winesap died. It took 10 years for that damn tree to become productive. I have a couple younger trees on their own roots that are just starting to bear well.
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Kevin, the OP of this thread, had herbicide drift damage, check out his thread “My very strange pears”. I believe his damage was from 2,4-D.
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at least here theres laws about herbicide drift, though not sure how they are to enforce
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Well, from the leaves I can see in the picture there is no sign of herbicide drift.
The black on the old wood looks like some sap from a pruning wound or some sort of damage was on it and it just grew some mold.
I’ve had a lot of experience with drift from neighbors, and from myself one time.
There are some herbicides that can drift and hurt your trees. Gyphosate typically isn’t one of them if applied properly in most cases.
Most damage I see is from 2-4 D products. LV 6 2-4D, and dicamba. They will typically produce leaves and stems that twist and curl. A lot of times they will grow out of it unless it’s a heavy hit. Most damage comes from volatile drift of vapors after application and it gets hot and the wind changes. It can, the vapors, drift a long way. It will also settle into valleys and low laying areas if the wind is calm.
There are a lot of pre emergents that can do some wonky things. I grew nursery stock and had corn and beans all around. Neighbor drifted Dual (a premergent herbicde use mainly for grasses, which we used years ago) onto us and it did a lot of damage. Stunted growth and leaf distortion. It never really killed the trees but they were never the same, and the worst ones didn’t grow. Young kid sprayed for the farmer and the wind wasn’t in our favor. The worst hurt were the Malus.
A lot of pre emergent herbicides affect the cellular growth of the roots or young stem tissue. It’s not like a poison that just kills the plant out right. It alters the growth of the plant so it basically can’t survive. Weeds that escape Simazine will have like a hair root keeping it alive at 2’ and all the other roots will be non functioning nubs. It inhibits root elongation.
My state and probably many others will handle researching the issue or complaint. They can take samples from the trees, and also from plants in the hedge row and compare to what was sprayed. They both should show the drifted chemical.
The detailed analysis will show in the ppm what and if their was drift contamination or wasn’t.
I would start by talking to the neighbor about your concerns, and make them aware of your concerns, nicely.
There are a lot of issues that can cause leaves to look bad. Freeze, frost, winds, heat, winter damage that change from year to year.
The farmer should have records of what they sprayed. Ask him and see what he sprayed and on what day. Try to not make them get defensive which they may easily become. At least they know your concerns.
I will say most times it will take a big hit to cause the trees to die with old school herbicides. Basically due to a rate issue. (Although there are some very low rate herbicdes out there today out if my scope) A very small hit can easily cause symptoms and conditions you don’t want.
If you think you have an issue and need to press, then call your Department of Agriculture. They can let you know if there is an issue if they have a program. It will take about a month or more. It will be like an interrogation/investigation of your neighbor and you will have to show your records if you have any. Which if you spray, you should have.
Like anything else, it will draw out if you seek damages. It’s better to head issues off before they happen. BTW I will be talking to my neighbor soon, and asking them to becareful this spring.
Hope you pull through, and get a clean bill of health and enjoy your apples.
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Thanks! That’s exactly the way the apple leaves appear at the moment.
I’m likely cutting down my Golden D this Winter. I would like to replace it with a more disease resistant Golden D type or one with similar flavor. The Hawaii, Suncrisp, Razor Russett all seem too risky based on commentary from Gemini.
The Hooples AG is reportedly much more disease resistant but is diploid.
The Chehalis looks very interesting. I’ve never heard of anyone growing on in the SE. Self-fertile, very blight resistant. Looks like a winner. Does the Chehalis pie as well as the GD?
Has anyone grown the Chehalis in southern Appalachia?
Is there another great apple that tastes like a GD but with less baggage that includes CR, necrotic leaf blotch, apple blotch, fire blight, white rot?
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Think I disagree with that gemini assessment. Hawaii has been a great apple for me. My Suncrisp is still young, but others have had good luck with it also. You should check out scotts apple report for other possible varieties.
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gotta be GoldRush right? I think its a bit more sour than golden delicious but once it mellows out in storage its pretty similar. Sundance is supposedly even better at resistance but i havent had it, i know golden delicious is a parent.
Alternatives also are Pristine, which still gets CAR, but you can spray for that.
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I’ve got a Sundance with blossoms right now - I am very hopeful to try it this year! It’s like a mystery apple to me, sounds so great but no one can tell you anything about it from experience it seems haha
Dorsett Golden maybe? It’s very low chill though.
Is Sweet 16 super late to wake up? I transplanted my grafts from last year and it’s the only one that’s not leafing out yet. I didn’t try a scratch test on it yet.
I got scionwood for it after reading a review by @hambone. So at least one person has had it!
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Mine was a few days later than others. More likely though is it’s a transplant. Sometimes that will delay things. I’m still waiting on some transplants to wake up also.
Re: Sundance. Very shy bearer and late to start bearing. Huge apples, spectacular taste the one or two times I accidentally picked it at the right time but I can’t seem to nail down perfect ripeness signs. Some say this is sign to pick: apples turn from having a greenish yellow dull appearance to a display of bright yellow and reddish colors appearing. Can have pineapple/lemon, mouth watering fab taste plus crisp/crunchy. Some say badly biennial. Some say hangs to overripe on tree (my vote) vs others say no, it hangs on tree and doesn’t lose quality. Even though I thin a LOT, tree has very few apples this year, even for Sundance, At least partial tip bearer so be careful how you prune! Suggest bend and notch to accelerate bearing.
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About what thickness do deer stop rubbing trees?