North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

At 02:12 PM 9/26/2002 -0400, Sybil wrote:
> Question a)  Is
> there any way to save the top of this tree (now about 6' tall)? Can the
> split be "mended" with any grafting techniques or will it
> simply resplit in the first wind or storm when it is larger and more
> seriously damaged?


I'd be afraid winds or a heavy fruit crop would cause it to split out
unless you cabled it together.

I'd almost be inclined to collect scionwood in late winter, then when it
begins to push leaves this spring, behead it just below the lowest extent
of the split and do 2 or 3 bark grafts, and select the one that grows
most vigorously as a new central leader.  You've evidently got a
well-established root system at this point in time, and you might get
some pretty impressive growth from grafts made onto that size
'rootstock'.

Lucky Pittman
Hopkinsville, KY
Enjoying the slow, steady rains falling now, but dreading the torrents
they're predicting for tonight - I just seeded some relatively hilly
areas in my north pasture, and hate to think about all my seeds washing
downstream toward the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the ruts &
gullies that may result.