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how to deal with broken branch apple tree

highfield1999LyWbKHb9highfield1999LyWbKHb9 Posts: 1
in Fruit & veg
My  Cornish Aromatic apple tree which is about 12 years old and not on a dwarfing root stock has lost a large brance due to the huge crop , it was too high up to thin it. It has left an ugly wound and I can see that it will collect rainwater. What can I do to try to avoid disease getting in , I havnt trimmed the wound yeat as I thought I needed tp get advice first.

Posts

  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    My dad used to fill tree hollows with left over cement or mortar when doing other jobs.

    It gives an inert fill which will help keep water out. 
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    The rough and jagged ends of the branch need to be trimmed back to leave as smooth an area as possible to avoid rain collecting in the fibres and causing rot. I am sure there is something the wound can be painted with to seal it.
    I was going to suggest using a prop under the branch and bandaging around the break with electrical tape or gaffer tape. Leave in place for 2/3 yrs and the break will have mended but it sounds too late for that.
    I have used this technique to repair a witchazel branch when a neighbours tree fell on it and broke one of the main branches. It worked very well.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Usual advice is to trim the wound so it doesn’t collect water and then leave it to callous over ... not to use any sealant ... they can trap fungal spores and moisture and lead to rot. 

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





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