North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

Hi Richard, hope I can be of some help.
Barring some problem that the Internet cannot "see", I would say you are 
fine. Most 
of the trees in my daily travel path all have red-barked young growth. Its 
normal. 
The Dolgo in my front yard does it every year. We have had a dry spring, 
although 
this weekend helped immensely, and weren't those red branches gorgeous after 
the 
rain? Why does this coloring occur so strongly here in Maine? My theory is 
our 
fluctuating spring temps, with the air temps at 60+ degrees (74 many times 
even in 
early April) then 20's at night, and all this while the tree's roots are 
still 
frozen! Kinda like our checks getting red when cold then warmed and vice 
versa...?
If there is no shriveling of bark and the terminal buds look good, as well as 
healthy wood beneath the red bark, you are good to go. Welcome to the 
variance of 
zones in Maine!
Heron Breen
zone 4, Maine
On Sat Apr 23 11:47 , 'Richard MURPHY' <murphman108@msn.com> sent:

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>Hello Clan;
> 
>My name is Richard Murphy.
>Last spring I planted some apple trees in New Sharon, Maine, zone 4.
>This new orchard is in a hay field; lots of open space and sun, with 
>clayish loam.
>Last week I inspected the trees for the first time; (I live in 
>Massachusetts.)
>They all seem to have a reddish-brown color, the bark, that is.
>They all were in silver-tip, and under the outer bark is nice and 
>green.
>Is this wind damage? Sunscald? Typical for young trees?
>My trees here in zone 5 never did this.
>Are the Maine trees going to croak?
>Some trees had mouse damage (girdled), stupid ME for not using 
>guards.
>Even the non-gridled trees are unusually reddish brown, but fine (green 
>& healthy) inside.
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>H E L P ! ! !   Anyone?
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>Thank you 
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>Richard
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