Or is it a goner when it has this much damage?
There’s nothing you can do for that tree. But it may recover on it’s own. It may heal that over but would take many years.
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I’ve got lots of them out there with old wounds like that. It will heal over, but it will always be noticeable. Few years back I put fence rings around all of mine about a foot wide. That put an end to the rubs. I’m surprised they hit one that big. They usually like to bulldoze the thinner ones.
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Once the damage is done,there is little you can do except to prepare the damaged area to prevent further damage.
First,you need to clean the wound by trimming all the loose bits that are hanging on.
You need to literally get some very good scissors like strong nail,cuticle,button,or surgical scissors and trim all the loose stuff you can get.
Next,you can clean the wound with 50/50 hydrogen peroxide water mix to get an dirt and debri out.
Once all this has been done the most important thing is to let it dry out till it’s very,very dry.
The drying process will help the wound to callus.
Finally,once your convinced it’s really dry,you need to put some wound dressing for trees or equivalent over the wound and that will protect it from most anything in the future,but reapply if you notice it wearing off,or coming off from whatever.
Now,none of this will do any good if you don’t protect it from happening again.
Put some fencing around it or a trunk sleeve and hopefully it won’t happen again.
Good luck my friend.
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The crab apple in my back yard has been rubbed twice… more severe than yours about 5 years apart… and it is doing fine.
It blooms, makes fruit (tiny inedible)…
Puts on a show every spring.
Yes it has an old wound there that is still trying to heal over… not nearly as noticable now.
TNHunter
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My neighbor spent too much money on a mature maple tree in the fall after her Bradford pear split (while I was standing about 15 feet away funny enough). A deer immediately got to it and rubbed a big wound like this. I happened to have an arborist at my place and thought to ask him about it on her behalf he said the only thing to do is to clean up the wound by making the ragged edges more straight and uniform so that the tree has an easier time healing the wound. He said it would most likely survive but would probably set the tree back and that there’s always going to be a visible scar there on the trunk
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I would take a very sharp knife or even hammer and chisel and make a clean cut at the edge of the damage - it’s a good shape to heal- just needs a sharp, smooth edge to speed healing.
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I have a fair number of mule deer that use my property as a thruway to different mountains.
I know every year during the rut I have to put up barriers around my trees or deer will rub them raw.
You might have to place some fencing or hog panels around them either permanently or during the rut.
Do you have mule or whitetail deer?
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What kind of tree is that?
I’ve seen native trees laugh off wounds worse than that. Obviously some fruit trees can be more fickle.
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I don’t care about the looks, just the fruit production. I had an Asian pear in front of the house and they hit it a few years back. I recovered fine. But it was not as bad as this damage.
The deer feed on the dropped fruit on the trees all season. Sometimes 6 or 7 deer in the back or front yard. You would think they would leave the trees alone as they know they produce fruit. I guess they are just not smart enough.
Don’t know. I’m near Pittsburgh.
Peach tree
I was thinking of wrapping it with something, but I left it alone.
Thanks!
I’ve got some of this. It is kinda like a thin black tar. Is that what I can use?
Amazon.com : Bonide Garden Rich Pruning Sealer with Brush Top Applicator, 16 oz Ready-to-Use Protective Seal for Trees, Shrubs, Roses : Grafting Tape : Patio, Lawn & Garden
I should look for a big can of sealer. I wonder how this stuff would work.
ANCHORSEAL Classic Log & Lumber End Sealer - Water Based Wax Emulsion, Prevents up to 90% of End Checking on Cut Ends of Hardwood & Softwood … (1 Quart) - Amazon.com
I don’t seal small cuts on the trees. I’ve been using the sealer for cuts of 3 or 4 inches. I wonder if I could use roofing tar on the deer wounds?
My own bias is to not cover the wounds. Trees are designed to recover as well as possible without that kind of help. (FWIW I lean the same way towards my own healing -aside from cleaning and maybe a first application of antibiotic ointment I like to leave them exposed to air.)
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Exactly- I would not put anything on that wound.
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I agree. I’ve tried both ways. When sealed it left an open gap forever. Without sealing the wound inched toward closing as the tree grew.
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