Please help me save my peach tree

PATRICE IN IL · #1 09/08/11, 04:09 PM

I planted a semi-dwarf Red Haven peach tree in the Spring and it has been growing nicely. Today a gust of wind knocked a sheet of plywood down that peeled the bark off the entire length of the tree's trunk. It is peeled very deeply down to the center of the tree. I can see the bark layer, a layer of green growth and the center heart of the trunk. Is there something I can do to save the tree?

Danaus29 · #2 09/08/11, 04:59 PM

There used to be a fiber tree wrap that would act as a second skin and kept the trunk moist but I haven't been able to find it for years. I used it on my peach when the bark split.

homstdr74 · #3 09/08/11, 05:12 PM

If it's only skinned on one side, it will most likely be able to save itself by putting on extra growth right at the wound site. But if the bark has actually peeled back, and is loose enough to handle, I have had good luck by wetting the bark and the trunk inside down with water, then tacking (with roofing nails if nothing else) the bark back onto the wood. I don't mean any bark that has peeled completely off, just the bark that has peeled back a bit. It may be too late to do what I recommended, but I'd try if that's the problem.

PATRICE IN IL · #4 09/08/11, 05:27 PM

The bark has been scraped off the whole length of the trunk about 1 1/2" wide. There is no bark to put back, the scrapings are all stuck to the end of the sheet of plywood.

homstdr74 · #5 09/08/11, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PATRICE IN IL

The bark has been scraped off the whole length of the trunk about 1 1/2" wide. There is no bark to put back, the scrapings are all stuck to the end of the sheet of plywood.

Cover it from the sun (lean a board up against it or something), maybe put some water on it. The tree will be putting some scab material around the edges and healing the wound. If the percentage that's open is not very great relative to the size of the trunk, it will most likely take care of itself and heal.

Danaus29 · #6 09/08/11, 06:06 PM

If the missing bark covers 25% or more of the trunk the tree is probably toast.

PATRICE IN IL · #7 09/08/11, 06:10 PM

Thanks everyone. I'm going to go to see if I can find some of the wrap stuff and hope it will survive.