Holes in my apple tree

[g squared 23]

This is a first for me. I think this Enterprise on M111 will be on its 6th leaf this spring. Had a great crop last year. Noticed this in the bark this winter. What is it and what should I do? I assumed it was buggy, sprayed with mineral oil and a bit of permethrin.

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[Derek Reese 29]

sap sucker holes maybe? Check out some of the online pics yours look nearly identical..I have a few around my place but they haven’t found my fruit trees yet..all the better for them I guess…

 

[T-Max]

I’m going with sapsucker.


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[Bill]

Sap suckers just getting started.

 

[Telemark]

Sapsucker.

 

[Nimrod]

Had the same issue a few years ago....tied some 1 inch Flagging Tape (Pink) from branches....the tape dangled over the area of the holes....this seemed to work...no reason for pink...just what we had on hand.

 

[bigboreblr]

A great way to giirdle a tree is to damage the cambrium and add oil to it. Something like tree wound or paint would of been better. I think it's overpriced for what it is, but I use doc farrells heal and seal. Tree wound would of been similar. However, that doesnt look too fresh, so less worries about bugs.

Need to buy a kid a BB gun...........

Caging the tree might be a decent option.. Protect deer from rubbing, rabbits from nibbling, and maybe birds from tapping. 3ft wide 1/4" mesh would accommodate about a 12 inch trunk. Not sure if the birds would just go higher up the tree.

There's a hole in my old apple tree at home. Was pruning and training water whips last week and a little black n white woodpecker popped out. Not sure if they mess with sap, or just go for the bugs in the rot.

More for voles, but I provide premium spots for hawks and owls to perch around my orchard. One way open spot is a 4x4 with a perch and a small roof for shade and rain cover. A red tail hawk loves that. Could make a spot around mature trees more favorable, open up a 2nd or 3rd level branch so the lower one is easier to land on, if you can do it safely.

A little more open orchard space helps the predators chase things and see stuff. I went 25x25 on mostly b118 and m111's. Doing 20 ft of a row of mostly M7's this year as a trial.

 

[homerj]

Wrap the area with aluminum window screen

 

[g squared 23]

I took the above advice, sprayed with wound healer, wrapped some with aluminum screen, and higher harder to reach trunk with chickenwire. Thanks for all responses

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[KY wild]

In my apple plots the sapsuckers usually stick to one tree and occasionally two. I have decided that instead of wiring that infested tree and pushing the bird to a new untouched tree I just let them do there thing on that tree. It would take incredible effort to wire the trunk of all the trees I have because often the holes are between the limbs so it would take lots of small pieces to protect all. Some of the trees they choose to hammer is 20 years old and are still kicking off apples, so If I have to replace one or two trees every 30 years then easier than screening. If they start hitting high percentage of trees then I will fight them.

 

[Mortenson]

In my apple plots the sapsuckers usually stick to one tree and occasionally two. I have decided that instead of wiring that infested tree and pushing the bird to a new untouched tree I just let them do there thing on that tree. It would take incredible effort to wire the trunk of all the trees I have because often the holes are between the limbs so it would take lots of small pieces to protect all. Some of the trees they choose to hammer is 20 years old and are still kicking off apples, so If I have to replace one or two trees every 30 years then easier than screening. If they start hitting high percentage of trees then I will fight them.

Nice perspective. Sacrifice one up to the apple gods. Great forum. Knock on wood I haven't seen any of this damage yet.

 

[SD51555]

Dog faced pony soldier or yellow bellied sap sucker.


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[Bowsnbucks]

Sapsuckers will move higher on the tree if they can't get to the lower trunk. There's a historical site near us that has ancient apple trees growing all through the big acreage. Looks like they were shot full of buckshot - but they're still alive and producing. Sapsuckers been drilling them for multiple decades.

 

[cavey]

If its a small orchard or the sap sucker has a favorite tree - try a plastic decoy hawk or owl -- stick it on a post/rod near the tree. Then move it around occasionally - might help.

 

[Lucky_P]

I've seen reports of sapsuckers severely damaging or even killing trees... but I've never seen it. See apples & pecans that are heavily peppered with holes, but never noticed it having a negative impact on productivity.

 

[Diesel5610]

They have killed a few of my trees. I started a similar thread 2-3 years ago when I noticed the holes on some of my trees. Basically girdled the trees with holes. 25-30 year old trees, made me sick. I cut the trees off below the damage and topworked one and the other shot up a new leader from the stump and is rising from the ashes .

 

[Telemark]

My neighbor in Canada has an apple tree that the sapsuckers have nearly killed. It doesn't produce many apples anymore. And it's full of half-dead limbs.