Kicked while you are down

[Diesel5610]

Posted the thread "life of a young apple tree in bear country" earlier in the summer. The bears finally snapped that dolgo tree off at the ground. Have 3 remaining trees of the 5 Dolgo I planted about 8 years ago along this field. Checking trail cameras this morning and see they got another one. If breaking it off half way up wasn't enough, they ripped the cage off the tree which allowed a buck to work it over. Ugh! Nothing like getting kicked while you are down! These trees are well established now and history says this will probably come back strong, one of the remaining three trees was snapped off like this 2 years ago and has grown back so quickly you wouldn't know it was damaged. This one is probably going to be a bit ugly from here on out, not sure where a new leader will come from on it.
Been a rough year. Also found one of my 25 year old Liberty trees this morning that had a dead ash fall on it and bust it up pretty good. The top half of that tree and a few other close ones look pretty sick/dead after being worked over by Sapsuckers this spring. Should have taken some pictures of those as well but was pretty well disgusted at that point.

 

[Apple Junkie]

OUCH!! It can be so disheartening when you find a tree that you’ve been coddling for 8 years gets so beat up in a matter of minutes – or seconds – for that matter. But like you point out, if the roots are unharmed, in all likelihood the tree will recover faster than you’d think – a little uglier, but still dropping delicious apples for those that tried to kill it!

If it makes you feel any better, I have some ugly beauties too… kinda like guy that tends them!

 

[Buckly]

I’ve learned through thousands of tree plantings. If you want 10 trees you have to plant 50 or 100. If you want 100 plant 1000. Trees are just too vulnerable Just keep planting. Just my observation about your tree there. You need more robust caging on those apple trees.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have 2 trees the bear kicked the crap out of this fall as well. Seems like as soon as they produce a good crop they get destroyed. I am trying to stay above 20 producing size trees in my orchard, but when I have to replace 2-4 a year, it’s been a struggle.

 

[Diesel5610]

I’ve learned through thousands of tree plantings. If you want 10 trees you have to plant 50 or 100. If you want 100 plant 1000. Trees are just too vulnerable Just keep planting. Just my observation about your tree there. You need more robust caging on those apple trees.

My trees have pretty significant cages, probably the first 5-6 years. Once they get that tall and the lower scaffolds are out of reach of the deer they get a small cage to just keep the deer from rubbing them. Probably a hundred trees over the last 10-15 years and this is the first one the deer have gotten to that was caged. Not a cage going that will resist a bear ripping it off or getting around if they decide they want to.

 

[Chainsaw]

I’ve learned through thousands of tree plantings. If you want 10 trees you have to plant 50 or 100. If you want 100 plant 1000. Trees are just too vulnerable Just keep planting. Just my observation about your tree there. You need more robust caging on those apple trees.

I had the same experience as you did Buckly when it came to tree planting; it was very discouraging. However today maybe not counting the bear problem some may have, the odds of success may have completely turned around. Alone the use of ground cloths, trunk screening and fencing makes a huge difference in the chance for success. Add to that using trees that are naturally disease resistant and suitable to one’s growing zone, the next ten years will be a whole new ballgame. Further we now have people whose sole business is to find and grow trees for wildlife versus the old days of just pushing orchard trees on us that required regular spraying to keep alive. And we have many experienced apple growers on this site that readily share their hard earned experience with each other and all of us. Armed today with all of these advantages as compared to the past growing trees at least apple trees, again the right apple trees where they normally grow should be much easier and productive than it was in the past. As you know,I’m planting apple trees full tilt on my property and fully expect a more desirable outcome than my past experiences.

 

[Diesel5610]

I totally agree Dave, the growing pains in the previous 10-15 years were pretty painful. Thanks to sites like this and all the knowledge here it is much easier to get the right trees for your area started the right way. I wish I knew 15 years ago what I now know, LOL! The good news is the setbacks give me a legitimate reason to keep grafting.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We had one Dolgo crab get mauled by a bear this year - but it ought to be OK and survive. It won't be as "pretty" for a few years, but as long as it produces ............
It's on Antonovka roots, so it's pretty strong and has good wood for being 7 years old. Judging from the damage, it was probably a cub or cubs. Concrete mesh cage slightly bent on one side. If it was an adult - I think it would be in much worse shape.

It still sucks to have bears around with fruit trees - any way you slice it.