New_Climber
veteran
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 1333
Loc: Kalama, Washington
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I went outside to check on my fruit trees this morning and the bottom 6-8" of bark is almost completely gone from one of my apple trees. I am figuring it was a rabbit being I don't think a mouse could get that high up. The tree is only a year old and seeing the damage I am just hopeful but from some reading I have done, it doesn't look good. About 3/4 of the bark is gone around the little guy.
I went ahead and put some chicken wire around the base of all my fruit trees, not touching just like a cage. Anyone have any luck with using anything to help the wounds?? I know time will tell, but all my trees where looking so health and then this happened.
I guess rabbits need to eat also...
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bozodog
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/19/07
Posts: 8946
Loc: SW Michigan
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That's rough... rabbits and rodents are the main cause of young fruit trees dying. I lost a grand old Pussy Willow and a Rose of Sharon to "girdling", by some gnawing creature.
Chicken wire may/may not help. They are pretty enterprising when hungry.
Get to a nursery or a store like, Tractor Supply and buy the plastic coils used for wrapping young trees. They expand as the tree grows, and seem to break down about the time a tree can withstand a bit of gnawing. (they look like white socks on the trees.  ) Once the bark toughens up, they'll be left alone.
I'm afraid with 3/4 of the nutrient pipeline cut off, your tree may be toast. This spring, you'll be getting suckers growing from the base of it, that may be from the grafted root stock, depending on the variety of the tree. I'd plan on replacing it... all that raw area is open to all sorts of problems.
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Fairness as equal treatment does not produce fairness as equal outcomes.
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ront02769
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/03/04
Posts: 8088
Loc: New England
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if they just got the bark it might not be that big a deal. there is first the bark and then the phloem and then the cambium (or something like that). if it is just the outer bark, you may be fine.
ront
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