North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Andrew Dewey <andrew@beeberrywoods.com>]

I hate deer cages.  They keep me from inspecting and doing as much 
preventative TLC as I should like to my trees.  Yesterday I removed the 
cage from a 5 yo Northern Spy only to discover a hole (about 1/16") in 
the stem just below the graft and about 1 1/2" above the soil line.  The 
tree is leafing out so the wound hasn't proved fatal yet.

Can a tree like this be saved?  What are the potential consequences of 
cleaning out the wound and filling it with grafting wax (or something 
else)?  Is it worth considering raising the soil level so as to cover 
the graft?  (The tree is on standard size root stock)


If it was a fast growing tree I'd probably just say to hell with it and 
replace it next spring with one of the grafts in my "nursery."  But 
Northern Spy takes soooo long to fruit that I hate to give up on it.

Thoughts?