North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[david liezen <chandos49@hotmail.com>]

Question to the list:
 
How best to help an apple tree recover from damage to the upper surface of its limbs?
 
 A Winesap a friend of mine acquired along with the recent purchase of a home has limbs 6-8" in diameter, all nearly horizontal in growth and each has bald wood from one to four feet in extent, and at worst involving a third of the circumference. 
 
 I suspect overuse by climbers coupled with neglected irrigation (hot and sunny for 60-75 days in Spokane most summers) brought this on.
 
I thought it might be worthwhile to trim the loose bark and paint the exposed wood with white latex. I fear Tree Heal, being black, might not doo all that is needed.
 
Better ideas? Thanks,
 
         Dave, E. WA, z6