Girdled, what are my options?

[Ruffdude]

I planted a dozen whitetail crabs last Spring and two of them were girdled by rabbits this Winter.
They appear to be dead, what are my options? Will they sprout from the root again?
I probably should just dig them up and start over again since I don't have much time invested in these yet.

 

[Prof.Kent]

If they are seedlings I'd just cut them below the girding, kill the grass around the trunks and let them regrow.

 

[brushbuster]

they should sprout if you cut at the girding...use pea stone and window screen mesh to keep the critters from getting the bark. First wrap the mesh around the sapling like a flag and Staple the mesh every inch to seal off the 3 sides. The staples will pop off as the tree grows. Bury the bottom of the mesh in the stone. Voles and mice cant burrow thru that to get at the bark

 

[Tree Spud]

Look for where girdling occured, above or below graft union if there is one. Sprouting below the graft is just the root stock. i would start over.

 

[TenPoint]

Same happened to a couple of mine this spring. Didn’t get them protected before winter last year. I’ll just dig up and replace next spring. Gives me an excuse to buy more trees. :)

 

[Ruffdude]

Look for where girdling occured, above or below graft union if there is one. Sprouting below the graft is just the root stock. i would start over.

They were sprouting above the graft union so I cut off the dead stuff and put the tree wrap back in place. Need some rain now.

 

[Ruffdude]

they should sprout if you cut at the girding...use pea stone and window screen mesh to keep the critters from getting the bark. First wrap the mesh around the sapling like a flag and Staple the mesh every inch to seal off the 3 sides. The staples will pop off as the tree grows. Bury the bottom of the mesh in the stone. Voles and mice cant burrow thru that to get at the bark

These were planted in the forests on my Clubs hunting property, one other person and myself look after the trees we've planted the past 10 years, I forgot to put the full length tree wraps on before Winter and it looks like rabbits stood up and girdled the bark. I need to take better notes, too many trees now to rely on memory only. LOL
Looks like we may lose another on the other end of the property but this time its porcupine damage. Dang if it isn't something always wanting to eat my fruit trees.

 

[bigboreblr]

Let them grow, if they make it, graft another whitetail crab on it. Painting the trunk with latex paint is a good idea, expecially in climates with alot of snowfall.

I am growing for both my family and wildlife, so I am growing a good number of good storing and cider trees. However, my 30-06 trees are growing like wildfire. Droptine is 2nd, and liberty is in 3rd. I do have whitetail crab in B118, and allmost all others are M111. So, it could be that too. Also, whitetail crabs came in november, so they had late fall and all spring to get their roots settled.

I was going to dig up the 30-06 hate thread and give a vote of confidence to plant a few.