winter damaged apple tree looked dead, but sprouting again from down low

ksJoe

5 year old buck +
One of the apple trees we planted last year was damaged from the cold over the winter. The bark split and started peeling, and everything a foot or so above ground on up seems to be dead. But the lower part of the trunk is sprouting. The sprouts are coming from above the graft, so they're fugi apples not the root stock.

Now I'm wondering what to do. This is on my hunting property, so it doesn't have to look like a traditionally shapped attractive tree. A healthy productive apple tree is good enough for me.

I'm inclined cut the trunk off shortly above the highest sprout, and probably remove all but one or two spouts in the hope of establishing a new leader. Thoughts?

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Kind of had the same dilemna here, but with younger year old bareroots. I'd take a leaf set or two off the ones that don't look like the leader, but leave them so that root system can get some energy. Then prune it to a double leader in the winter, or a single leader if it looks strong enough.

Cutting back, not sure where to go on that one. I'd clip some of the laterals in half and see how dry they look. Then go down the tree to see if that cambrium layer looks alive.

I'd lift off the weed mat and see if you had vole damage or ant issues. I'd walk around the tree and feel if theres any tunnels dug around the tree. The tree feel sturdy still?

Yuo have any ral nasty cold snaps with little snow cover? Haven't been at camp since febuary, had a -35 night with a foot of snow cover if that. Planted some droptine and 30-06 on antonvoka in december.
 
Prune off all the new growth EXCEPT the strongest new leader and let it grow. It should quickly catch back up unless that variety is or that particular tree has other problems. If the root is healthy it should grow back fine.
 
If it died from cold dig it up and plant something else.
 
If it died from cold dig it up and plant something else.
I think what happened to it is called sunscald. I understand this is an occasional issue with young apple trees here. Painting the trunk of the tree white or wrapping it with something will help protect it. An identical tree (same size, age, variety, source, and sun exposure) about 15 feet away is totally fine.

Thanks for the input guys!
 
I had several apple trees do that this year some in tubes some not and even some bark grafts our winter weather was very mild but obviously something was wrong more so than usual this last winter. Almost all my young enterprises and bark grafts of enterprise bit the dust shame to one of my most productive verities. SE Kansas
 
One of the apple trees we planted last year was damaged from the cold over the winter. The bark split and started peeling, and everything a foot or so above ground on up seems to be dead. But the lower part of the trunk is sprouting. The sprouts are coming from above the graft, so they're fugi apples not the root stock.

Now I'm wondering what to do. This is on my hunting property, so it doesn't have to look like a traditionally shapped attractive tree. A healthy productive apple tree is good enough for me.

I'm inclined cut the trunk off shortly above the highest sprout, and probably remove all but one or two spouts in the hope of establishing a new leader. Thoughts?

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Look under the fabric. That actually acts like a roof for voles and mice and they might have partially girded the tree. That along with dry weather might have killed the tree but allowed the sprout. I switched back to pea stone for mulch. They cant borrow thru that to get at the bark.
 
Look under the fabric. That actually acts like a roof for voles and mice and they might have partially girded the tree. That along with dry weather might have killed the tree but allowed the sprout. I switched back to pea stone for mulch. They cant borrow thru that to get at the bark.
Thanks for the tip, but that's not the case this time. The sprouts were coming out of the bottom foot or so of the trunk, well above where a rodent would have girdled it.

The city had a free mulch pile from grinding up trees after a tornado, and I got some osage orange mulch around the apples. Its a thorny hardwood tree. That mulch is hard to dig in (or shovel), so I'm hoping that will keep the rodents out of it.

Here it is mulched before I put the cage back on it.
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