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Snapped apple tree! Help?

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  • #1

    Snapped apple tree! Help?

    So I bought some lovely young apple trees for training into a stepover hedge and planted them in my front garden around about November. So far so good - but due to high winds possibly, I'm really hoping not deliberate vandalism one of them has had the whippy branch completely clean snapped off and it now just a straight up and down stick of a trunk!!

    My question would be - what do I do? Is this tree rescue-able, is it likely to grow another whippy bit that I can use? Will I need to feed it? How long will it take to catch up roughly? Should I dig it out and get a new one?
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  • #2
    Do you have a photograph?
    If there is enough of the scion left, I would prune it with a sloping cut to just above the next bud.
    Then pray to your god.
    I would imagine as you have effectively lost a year of growth, it will always be a year behind, but when it starts to fruit, would you notice the difference?
    As for feeding, I would treat it as the others but maybe not so much, I think watering would be more beneficial but as you live in Haggis land, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
    Last edited by fishpond; 25-02-2015, 07:14 AM.
    Feed the soil, not the plants.
    (helps if you have cluckies)

    Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
    Bob

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    • #3
      There's nothing of the branch left at all, it's just a vertical stick with a sort of knobbly bit at the top :S

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      • #4
        Do you have a photograph?
        Feed the soil, not the plants.
        (helps if you have cluckies)

        Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
        Bob

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        • #5
          Wether it is salvageable depends on where the graft is and what buds are above the grafting point. A piccie will be really helpful in giving you help

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          • #6


            Sorry folks, not brilliant but the positioning and my current bodyshape prevent anything closer up. Not really much to see, is there? Think the graft for trunk is further down, but no buds as far as I can see
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            • #7
              You need to prune off about about 0.5" or so, down to just above the next "bump"
              You need to make a diagonal sloping & clean cut( 35-45 degrees), so that any rain doesn't sit on the cut, also ensure that the bottom of the sloping cut is above the "bump".
              Feed the soil, not the plants.
              (helps if you have cluckies)

              Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
              Bob

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              • #8
                The bumps should form buds when the weather warms up. I would stake the other trees with the stakes on the side of the trees facing the dominant wind direction.

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                • #9
                  The bump facing you, several millimetres from the top, is a bud. Cleanly cut back the damaged tip by a few more millimetres as described by fishpond above.
                  That topmost bud should grow this year and replace some or all of what was lost (assuming the tree is properly cared for, healthy and suitable for your conditions).
                  Some of the buds below it will probably grow into side shoots.

                  If the top bud reaches a height where you'd like one or more side branches, you can 'tip' it by pinching off just the tip and you may find that you can have branching before the end of the year. Similarly any buds which grow-out below the top bud can be encouraged to become side branches if they are in suitable positions (or they can be removed).
                  .

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                  • #10
                    Thanks folks, I will give it a go and lots of hope.
                    I'll get hubby to stake the rest of them too on the next non-rainy day!

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