Apple tree bark splitting

**FB.** · 15-04-2011, 09:05 AM

It looks more like injury than disease.
The shreds of wood in the last picture look like a person or animal has caused the damage.
The other damage might have been caused by the cold winter.
If it is a disease, it would most likely be canker - perhaps in its early stages.
Bramley is normally reasonably resistant to canker.

Since the branch is long and unproductive along its length anyway, I'd be tempted to cut off the damaged bit.
But even if you don't do anything about it, it is unlikely to kill the tree any time soon, if ever (although the branch itself might die within a couple of years).

**pdblake** · 15-04-2011, 09:41 AM

Thanks or the swift reply FB.

There are quite a lot of flowers on the end of both branches (can't really see in those close ups), but both branches are low and stick out over the lawn so I was going to give them the snip later in the year anyway.

Is it safe to just lop them off now?

**FB.** · 15-04-2011, 11:15 AM

If it is disease, it is often better to remove as soon as possible, to prevent spread to other parts of the tree.
If it is damage, you could leave it until later in the season, if you want the fruit from the branches that need removing.
Bramley is reasonably resistant to canker, so it won't mind whether you remove the branches now or later in the year. Some other apple varieties are best pruned in winter due to being prone to canker.
If you prune now and the pruning cuts appear to get infected, you can always prune again in the winter.

Since you say that the branches are in the way, I'd probably cut them out now. It will probably re-grow a mass of new shoots near the cut end, so next winter it would be wise to tidy them up and thin them out, to keep the tree looking neat.

**pdblake** · 15-04-2011, 01:54 PM

Thanks FB, looks like I'll be doing some pruning this weekend

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Apple tree bark splitting

Apple tree bark splitting

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