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Apple tree - buds and bark missing

Kent GardenerKent Gardener Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
Hi all, I planted 5 bareroot apple trees in January last year that I've been espalier training. All of them are going well apart from one which has most of the buds or bark removed from the first tier of branches. I've very new to growing fruit trees and unsure what has happened and if its game over for the apple. My inital thoughts its either the squirrels that live very close by or its canker. It's a Charles Ross on mm106. If it is the squrriels and I protect the branches do you think it would still live or should I start again. I was espaliering all the trees at the same height so its quite annoying if these branches die. Many thanks in advance for any help or ideas on what this is


Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Squirrels or deer. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited April 2019
    Agree with Dove.  All you can do now is cut the damaged bits off to just above a healthy bud and protect them.  However, if all of the buds near the ends of the branches have been eaten, just cut off damaged bits down to just above where there used to be a bud and hope that new buds form - they probably will but it could take some time before they become visible and you'll effectively lose a year's growth on affected branches.
    If the 2nd photo is the vertical 'leader', it looks like there is a small bud about 3/4 the way down the photo.  Cut about 1cm above that and it should take over and become the new leader.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Kent GardenerKent Gardener Posts: 2
    Many thanks Dove and Bob. I’ll be protecting them all from the squirrels now and follow your advise. Hopefully some buds appear after some pruning
  • seakaleseakale Posts: 142
    In my garden it’s the pesky muntjac who are responsible, territorial males I think
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