My tree is busted!

FireFighterZero

Captain Zero!
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Dec 8, 2013
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North Central Montana, bloody cold!
20160430_170445.jpg 20160430_172944.jpg

So the first picture is of my favorite tree. An old crab apple.

The second picture is of a branch that split, or kinda tore. The branch holds a lot of weight and we had 14 inches of heavy snow.

Is there any way to fix this with out cutting it off? Can I bolt the tear back together?
 
I've seen "clamps" made up for that situation. 2 bars and 2 threaded bolts. Supplimented support post to help? Wasn't there a thread on that?
 
Sure thing Jim. I've seen apple trees with multiple posts holding them up. Use a ratchet strap and some folded cardboard (to prevent further wounding where the mechanism contacts the bark) to cinch up the split and then stitch it up with some stainless carriage bolts. Probably have to prop up that limb for the rest of it's life. . .

ETA: Prune off a bunch of those internal crossing limbs, and pretty much anything internal that is growing straight up or down, and snip some end weight at healthy laterals. ;)
 
Crab apples take pretty well to end wieght and reduction cuts. For as thick as that tree is you might be able to remove that limb and never notice it's gone.
 
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  • #8
Sheeit, now I am worried. So if I dont get some pruning done, my tree might start breaking more?

You would think that I would have picked up more of this stuff, being here for a few years. If I cut off the ends of the branches, would it still produce? Seems like most of the flowers are at the ends.
 
I cut over 2/3 of my wife's apple tree off, now it's filling out like crazy, and produces more apples than before
 
Not sure if you have fire blight problems there. If so I would wait until next winter for pruning. OR sterilize your tools between cuts.
 
Sheeit, now I am worried. So if I dont get some pruning done, my tree might start breaking more?....

Jim, that tree has been there more than a year or two and is doing well. It took a heavy snow to crack that limb. Heavy snow can break any tree, well pruned or not. Because crabapple trees do not need to be forced into producing large fruit they can be let to grow how they please. Often times a tree that has limbs interwoven will be better able to resist destructive forces like wind and snow.

Your tree looks fine to me and I would not recommend that you try to trim it. I have seen ranchers trim trees before, ugh, not pretty. :) If you can get to that limb without breaking off more limbs, it can be bolted. Just try to get the crack as closed as you can before you drill the bolt holes. Apples are very resilient and drilling and bolting will not bother it at all.

I would love to come up to your place and help you out with this but we are swamped right now so it would have to be later in the year.
 
I've seen plenty of cracks like that left alone and do just fine.
If you are particularly worried, reduce some end weight, it might help close the gap. I would do that anyway.
You watch in a year or two there will be plenty of callus tissue and the branch will compensate.
Don't Worry.
 
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  • #14
Hmm....lots to think about. Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I am amazed how strong the tree is. Sometimes when I mow underneath it I get tangled in the damn thing and it rips me off the mower instead if breaking.

You should come up this summer or fall anyway Dave. My farming success\disaster should be in full swing by then!
 
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  • #17
Its my own fault for getting ripped off the mower. Not sure why I act the way I do. I could step out of the way of a wild ass cow, but I dont.

Sometimes I stop the pickup, get out and chase a Rooster pheasant off the road side and into a field. Sumbitch ought to show some respect!


Haha, Burnham, I hope so! Ive been worried sick!
 
Jim, do you have a small, sharp hand saw?

Do you understand about branch collar cuts? 3 point pruning cuts? Thinning versus heading cuts? A little time on google will inform a lot.

Sometimes, branches that cross are supporting each other, if they have been growing that way for a long time. Remove a supporting limb, and the other may fail.

Little bits at a time, and step back and walk around the tree to look. Stroke you beard as you look at it. It will look like the master mulling over the situation. The tree will be convinced. They're easy to trick. The un-stressed apple tree grows better, just like a cow.

Okay, not really.
 
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