Apple tree rodent damage

westonwhitetail

5 year old buck +
So I did not get tree protection on the apple trees I planted last spring until December last fall. There was some rodent damage at the bases of many of them already at that time. I know I messed up and now I plan to put the screens on at planting time.

My question is, most or maybe all of these trees were starting to break Bud this last weekend. Does that mean they will make it? Or is there a chance they may die anytime this summer or in the future?
 
No that doesn't guarantee that they will make it. If the tree is girdled all the way around it is a goner unless you can maybe do a successful "Bridge Graft". If they are only girdled partially there is a good chance that they can survive. I have save some in the past by applying pruning paste to the damaged area.

There is some good info on this thread which may be of interest to you:

Are your apple trees protected? (16 photos)
 
I had four apple trees completely girdled a few years ago. They all made it through the first summer after being pruned back hard. None woke up the following spring, they were all around seven ft tall. If they are not completely girdled they have a chance.
 
I had a 3 yr old pear tree I didn’t protect and it got rubbed twice and it was toast .
 
Short answer like above if girdled late in yr after going dormant they will b toast either by this fall or not make it thru winter even if looking ok now

Had a tree girdled over the winter and put out a ton of blossoms and leaves early spring. By late summer decline was evident and lost that tree. My advice would be to coppice it now below the damage and might get some new growth to save the tree this yr. Sure will be taking a few steps back but at least tree has better chance of not total goner. Again this is for a completely girdled tree
 
Yes - I have cut off girdled trees at ground level and they grew a new tree from the rootstock.
 
I tug on the tree a bit upward. Trees with significant girdle damage either come out or got alot of wobble. The easier it is for them to dig, the more likely they'll do it. Nice loose and ammended soil grow faster, but runs the risk of rodent damage.

If you suspect girdling damage, I would agressively prune the tree. The less the roots can send to the branches, the less leaves it can support. Itll have a bad year, but it may survive.

I do not use mulch anymore, but I am very temtped to keep doing it. If you do, might be good to put some crushed stone around the screen. Maybe mix it in the soil arond the screen. Voles don't like it. Also, seen a few folks wanting a food plot right around their trees. Tall grass attracts voles. 15-20ft of well mowed border is very helpful. Noticed if I don't stake the trees, there is some bark damage from the screen rubbing. I screen cage the cage and the stake, the take ges on the south side keep the screen from heat damaging the trunk.

Any vole hole i see I put a mice poison brick in it.
 
Best advice - wrap with aluminum window screen or 1/4" hardware cloth as soon as you plant them. I learned the HARD way myself some years ago. Mice, voles, and rabbits don't wait for us to wrap them later. ☹️
 
I tug on the tree a bit upward. Trees with significant girdle damage either come out or got alot of wobble. The easier it is for them to dig, the more likely they'll do it. Nice loose and ammended soil grow faster, but runs the risk of rodent damage.

If you suspect girdling damage, I would agressively prune the tree. The less the roots can send to the branches, the less leaves it can support. Itll have a bad year, but it may survive.

I do not use mulch anymore, but I am very temtped to keep doing it. If you do, might be good to put some crushed stone around the screen. Maybe mix it in the soil arond the screen. Voles don't like it. Also, seen a few folks wanting a food plot right around their trees. Tall grass attracts voles. 15-20ft of well mowed border is very helpful. Noticed if I don't stake the trees, there is some bark damage from the screen rubbing. I screen cage the cage and the stake, the take ges on the south side keep the screen from heat damaging the trunk.

Any vole hole i see I put a mice poison brick in it.
I do this as well

The MoleMax granule repellant works well but needs to be re applied q 3 minths

bill
 
Thanks everyone, I was hoping with the signs they were coming back to life meant they may make it! I will have to assess the damage better next time I’m out to see it they were girdled completely or not. I did prune them back earlier this fall. If they are bad, I may have to cut them off and try to graft or just replace them potentially.
 
On top of that I am trying my hand at bench grafting this spring. Just took my rootstock out of the fridge and the roots are a bit too dry for my liking. They were wrapped in paper and plastic wrap from the nursery but I should have checked on them and added some moisture along the line….

They are potted and soaking in water now and I will graft tomorrow. Hopefully all is not lost on this venture!
 
Been there done that.

I did have one that was griddled sprout from the rootstock and I grafted to it about three years ago. I grafted at about 4 foot high. It’s doing great but no apples yet.
 
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