Central leader issue - now what?

[j-bird]

This year I had an issue with tent catapillers in an apple tree and they killed the top portion of the central leader. The tree was a container tree and has had at least 2 full years in the ground and is other wise healthy.

I figure I have options:
1 - graft in to the central leader
2 - try to score the bark in a manner to encourage a new central leader to form.
3 - do nothing and see how the tree responds on it's own.

 

[Turkey Creek]

1. Not unless you want to change the variety for some reason.
2. You could, but you might as well cut back to living wood and then train a new cental leader when buds start to push new growth.
3. No reason to, when you could just do option 2. :)

 

[Jim Timber]

Kinda early to be doing anything, ain't it?

 

[chummer]

I would do nothing. The tree should come back. It usually takes two years of tent catapillars to kill a tree.

 

[j-bird]

I think I got to the catapillers in time, but they did a number on the top portion of that central leader. The tree is otherwise healthy from what I saw - I ended up cutting the damaged part back to healthy wood. I was just concerned about the leader as I need the tree to grow more vertically our of easy reach of the deer and I am affraid this issue may cause the tree to want to grow out and not up.

Sounds like I will let a branch sprout from what is left of the central leader and allow/train it to become the new one.

 

[Turkey Creek]

You will likely get multiple new shoots close to where you cut. Either remove or tie down all but one strong one to get that new leader.

 

[Lot2Learn]

One other piece of input is to make sure that your 'cut into good wood' is at an angle to the ground and just slightly above a bud. You don't want to leave a 'stub leader' above that bud that will die and provide a pathway for disease to enter the tree.

 

[j-bird]

The cut into good wood was at an angle - I figured it would lessen the chance of water and rot - I will have to see what sprouts.

 

[Maya]

Leave it. Most likely nothing is wrong with the tree itself. They just munch leaves. Every year I have some that get whacked by them and the tree is fine the next year.