Last years grafts and rabbits

[westonwhitetail]

I failed to protect my grafted apple trees well enough last fall and something snuck in the garden this winter and nibbled the tops. The pictures are hard to see, but show the damage. Mostly the rabbits ate the Scions and new growth on top from last summer

I think the rootstock will be fine, should I just re-graft these? I have some scions

Some of the grafts from last year still have a bud on the scions, should I let those go and see if they take?


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[westonwhitetail]

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[bigboreblr]

Kinda look more like deer damage. Rabbits will nibble both hih and low. I had my fence blown down 2 years ago and rabbits nibbled a few straight to the ground. Virtually everything came back. If there's a nibble section much ore than 50% around, above it may be toast.

ssuming they ddnt girdle down low, most of those in the pic will recover with the graft intact I'd say.

If protected well and still dormant, I'd say you could put some of them in their permanent home. Im in the camp of getting them there as soon as possible.

I had a winter wildlife grafted onto M111 last year. The scions were like pen ink tube thick if that. Had to cleft graft them (split open in the middle). Matchstick sized scion didn't gorw last year, but buds on it did leaf out and looked OK. Transplanted it in the fall and the buds are waking up.

Whatever doesn't take, just graft next year or topwork when the leader is about 6-7ft high. Tall enough to get permanent lateral branches locations.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I'd probably wait and see if you get any new growth from the scion. It looks like most of them should be just fine, but it is hard to tell from a picture.

If any of the grafts don't survive, you could just let the rootstock send up a shoot this year and topwork it next spring.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Rabbits have a characteristic 45 degree angle. I think you are correct that they are rabbits.

I think the grafts that still have at least one bud will be worth waiting to see about.

 

[westonwhitetail]

I didn’t notice any damage below on the rootstock but will have to check, probably was buried in snow.

There’s a handful that have a bud still on the graft. Most don’t.

I may graft some while they’re still dormant here. Leave the few that have a bud, and leave some chewed up ones go to see if they take as an experiment. I can regraft in the next couple years if I want I suppose

 

[bigboreblr]

With snow cover that make sense with the rabbits.