Subject: [permaculture] "Repairing" winter kill apple & pear trees
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:08:04 -0600
This last winter was a hard one for the orchard. Winter came on with
little or no fall and started with temps near 0F and 50mph winds. The
winter was cold and long as well. Additionally some deer "pruned" many
of the trees in late summer/early fall which caused them to start
re-growing just before the cold snap. And I was probably a bit too
generous with N fertilizer in last spring leading to prolonged/late
growth period.
All in all a bad combo for the fruit trees. Any one would not have been
much of a problem, but all three really knocked them for a loop. About
15% (mostly young ones and stone fruits) died outright. Many died on
their upper parts, but are leafing out on their lowest branches/trunk.
The bigger/older trees only show dead branches at their tips. However
none of the trees which made it are growing well. Few leaves, and only
3" of growth (whereas usually they would be at 6-8" of growth by now).
And I notice that the buds at the end of the branches are just now
starting to burst and leaf out. Clearly they are stressed.
So my question, is anyone familiar with proper techniques for helping
fruit trees to recover from winter kill? Obviously replace the dead
ones, but what if anything can be done for the stressed live ones. I've
resisted putting a bunch more hi N fertilizer on, although that will
improve growth this year it will likely cause a repeat of last years
winter kill. Would hi P or K fertilizers be helpful? Other things?