Advice needed.....buck rubbed crab

[Jimmy G]

So.......well I happened to buy a nice prairie fire crab for my in progress windbreak/tree line. Got it on sale at the local nursery. (couldn't help myself) And planted it last week BUT did not give it my usual treatment (cage and trunk protector). Yesterday while my son and I were walking the treeline for some doves I happened to look at my newest addition some 20 yards away and I see that it had been rubbed...oh no!!!! As I walked up to it I see that he had rubbed it completely around of course and it was a foot long.
So what would you guys do??? It looks girdled for sure.... Is it too late to somehow graft on some part of the upper part...I have no clue about grafting, never tried it...
Any help is truly appreciated, thanks

 

[Native Hunter]

Depends on how deep it went and whether or not it is really girdled. At this point in time, I would put a cage around it and wait until next spring and see what happens. It's near or at the end of the growing season, so now is not the time to do anything IMHO except cage it.

If the top is truly girdled, you will probably still get some shoots below the damaged part but above the graft. You can cut a clean, slanting cut above the best shoot and it will likely grow itself out of the issue in a few years. Or, the top may not really be girdled, and given enough time, the damaged part will heal itself.

 

[H20fwler]

Screen and cage it then you could put some tree seal on it like Tree Wound or TreeKote and wait till spring to see what you are working with.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I agree with Native Hunter. If girdled as you say cut it off just below lowest girdled spot and cage. It's like you planted a new bare root tree

 

[DLH]

If girdled may try a bridge graft never tried it but suppose to be a way to save girdled trees. If I had a girdled tree I would try it just to see especially if the tree had some years on it which I assume yours don't yet.