Seeking advice

[Dominion Link]

Last year I planted a small orchard of plum, Apple and pear trees. Going into the fall they were all doing well. Winter wasn't rough, but, the wife's goats (that I never wanted in the first place) got into the trees one afternoon a couple months ago. Damaged the bark on most of the trees, including completely girdling two of the pear trees. All the other trees are bouncing back this spring and I was just about to dig out the two dead ones when I noticed that there are the smallest buds sprouting off the main trunks, above the grafts. So I figure I'll cut the trees down to the lowest area of damage, but I don't know what to coat the cut area with to prevent disease and drying out.

Any product suggestions from folks who may have dealt with similar circumstances?

Ps, the goats are no longer here.

[labradors]

I took a Master Gardening course several years ago, and our instructor was a tree specialist. We were instructed never to put anything over the cuts on trees because it won't allow them to heal.

If possible, never cut a limb that is bigger than 4" in diameter. Of course, when a tree is damaged we don't have that option. The best we can do is to make a cut at an angle so that the water can run off and to cut the limbs close to the trunk so that they can heal over.

Sorry about the trees and I hope that you can save that damaged one.

[WLLady]

I am not an arborist and i just about have a heart attack every time my hubby prunes our trees....but i would leave them alone from severe pruning this year. Let them heal. I would watch the gridled part really closely for any insect damage or black rot or stuff like that but generally let them be. Buds above the damage means the inner layer of the bark that carries the sap is still at least partially intact. Which is good....then next year or later in the season you can see which branches are dead and deal with them then. But like i said, i have zero arborist experience....i just know if you do what ont hydro did to a lot of street side trees under the lines (topped them right off) you might actually kill something that was recovering.

[Ontario Chick]

Yup, as "labradors" suggests, the new approach is not to cover cuts at all.
Rubbing alcohol to clean your saw is a good idea.
You can also "bridge" the girdled area, be "grafting a piece of bark to create connection for the sap to flow thru until the tree heals.
I have an apple tree which one year the deer ate the top off completely, it was about 6" diameter and 3'stump was left, I cut it on a slant and a branch eventually formed a top, now 10 years later, there is only a suggestion of where the original trunk was, and it simply formed a new tree, pretty amazing what the trees can recover from.

[Dominion Link]

Attached are photos of the branches that are developing. They are above the grafts and below the girdled area. Do I trim back all but one branch and see if that grows into a tree or so I leave them all to grow into a pear shrub, perhaps?

[Ontario Chick]

At this point I would give them a year, not all the shoots will necessarily make it and Murphy's law says, you will trim the good ones and the remaining ones will not make it.
The root needs the leaves to supply nourishment, so you don't want to denude it.
Very early next spring, as soon as you can get to them thru snow it will become much more obvious what is vigorous and what is superfluous.

[Dominion Link]

Thanks OC, I'll leave them be, other than cutting the dead section down. We've had so much rain lately I kind of thought it might be best to not cut until things dry up a bit.

Thanks again.

[Farrier1987]

I work in an orchard, and what my boss would have me do is cut it at an angle about 6" above the shoot that it coming. And although he does not painting regular pruning wound, he would paint that one with latex paint, because it is so big the tree can dry out way down. but the angle to let water run off would probably do it too. Then next March or so, pick the strongest one and pinch off all the others.

As for the goats, they will do that. What I have found effective is chain link loosely wrapped around the tree trunk so they can't chew through. Smaller tree might need a couple stakes around it. The trees are not in the pasture, but goats tend to get out and will go for your favorite growing thing first, they are just bad and vicious and mean. And genial and lovable and give me milk.

(Edited by admin)....genial....

[Ontario Chick]

I work in an orchard, and what my boss would have me do is cut it at an angle about 6" above the shoot that it coming. And although he does not painting regular pruning wound, he would paint that one with latex paint, because it is so big the tree can dry out way down. but the angle to let water run off would probably do it too. Then next March or so, pick the strongest one and pinch off all the others.

Good point, plastic baggie secured by rubber band also works.
Farrier I am going to guess that was supposed to be genial ?

[Farrier1987]

Yes OC, that too. (smirk)