Menu Close
Avatar
Log In
Please consider registering
Guest
Forum Scope






Start typing a member's name above and it will auto-complete

Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
Register Lost password?
sp_TopicIcon
Split trunk on peach tree- can it be saved?
Avatar
hhf
1 Posts
(Offline)
1
January 2, 2010 - 1:50 pm

Walking through the yard yesterday I noticed that my 3 year old peach tree has a major split down the center of the trunk- at the attachment of a large lower branch. I see the problem lies with limb attachment being V-shaped. I went ahead and pruned the offending branch to remove some weight from the split, which runs about 6" smack-dab down the center of the trunk. Is it possible to save this tree? I've got a couple of pictures that I could forward along.
Thanks!

Avatar
Dubyadee
Puyallup, Washington, USA
244 Posts
(Offline)
2
January 3, 2010 - 10:48 am

Depending on the severity of the split you have several options (from least severe to most severe):
1. Prune the branch back to a bud outside the split. Clear out any splinters inside the broken area and nail the branch back in place. The branch will heal and grow back if not too badly split, use only for a branch that is <1" diameter. I did this with an apple tree that had snow and ice damage years ago. I cut the branches back and put in a bunch of drywall screws to hold it all together.
2. Prune the branch back to just outside the collar where it joins the trunk. Clear out any splinters inside the broken area and nail the stub back in place. The trunk will heal over the wound in time.
3. If the branch has split off and torn bark down the tree you might have to just cut the whole branch off and gouge out the wound so no water stands in the wound, it needs to be able to drain. Eventually the bark will grow back and cover the wound.
4. If extremely bad you may have to cut the tree off just above a bud and allow it to grow back. Make sure you are cutting above the graft though so you don't lose your fruiting variety. A couple years ago a buck came through my yard and rubbed a cherry tree of mine. Stripped the bark down to 18" from the ground. I had to cut the tree off above an un-injured bud. It has made a good recovery.

Forum Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
All RSSShow Stats
Administrators:
Idyllwild
simplepress
Moderators:
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
Top Posters:
Rooney: 833
DanielW: 519
PlumFun: 495
Reinettes: 429
jafarj: 422
davem: 381
Dubyadee: 244
sweepbjames: 242
jadeforrest: 237
gkowen: 218
Newest Members:
derekamills
ella102
fruitain
pacorrtesting1
Johnsondavid
KarleyHahn
Wintheiser
RethaWisozk
rsuspense
billmorgan
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 4
Topics: 2945
Posts: 17130

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 0
Members: 1537
Moderators: 4
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 355
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 53
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)