North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <list@ginda.us>]

Over the winter, the high snow allowed rabbits to crew on limbs of my apple 
trees.  They have removed quite a lot of bark from the top side of many major 
branches, and white wood shows.  I really don't want to prune off all the 
damaged wood if I don't have to.  On one tree, a well-placed scaffold is 
damaged, and on another, there's damage on almost all of the parts that were 
grafted.  (It's a crab apple with several eating apples grafted on years ago.)

So -- Do I have to remove the damaged limbs?  Is the bark along the bottom of 
each branch enough to keep it alive?  Or will it be weak and prone to rot 
even if it doesn't die right away?

thanks,
Ginda
eastern MA, zone 6