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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Borer damage - worth save attempt?

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  • From: <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>
  • To: <andrew@beeberrywoods.com>, "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Borer damage - worth save attempt?
  • Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 18:45:35 -0500

Andrew,

It is well worth saving the tree if you only have a shot hole or two. The only time the tree is really threatened from borer damage is if the tree is completely girdled and the girdling goes deeper than half the diameter of the tree. I have had trees that were about 6 inches in diameter and borers had girdled it down to a diameter of about 4 inches and it still lives. I thinned the tree out to remove some of the scaffolds and balance it out a bit to match the trunk diameter and it has done just fine. I never filled the girdling, just use Lorsban on the trunk every June and monitor the dogwood borers. Hope this helps!

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
Office (815) 648-4467
Mobile (815) 228-2174
Fax (609) 228-2174
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Dewey" <andrew@beeberrywoods.com>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 8:18 AM
Subject: [NAFEX] Borer damage - worth save attempt?


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?







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