Help with apple trees

[Minelson]

I'm in big trouble now. The goats got at our 3 apple trees and stripped a bunch of the bark off. Is there anything we can do? Will they die? Dh is really ticked

[farmergirl]

Originally Posted by Minelson

I'm in big trouble now. The goats got at our 3 apple trees and stripped a bunch of the bark off. Is there anything we can do? Will they die? Dh is really ticked

Will the goats die? You know your DH better than we do

[geo in mi]

Goats will be goats... You might be able to get tree wrap and try to bandage the wounded spots, but if there is more than half the circumference of bark missing, it is doubtful they will survive. Even bandaging them may not prevent permanent weakness as the trees grow taller and bigger, as the bark will heal over, but not completely around the trunk.

[Shepherd]

There is something called Tree Wound (and other similar products) that you can spread over the injured areas. I have no idea how bad they damaged the trees and it's a gamble, but certainly worth trying to save them.

I have to use this stuff a lot because of the damage the deer do to our fruit trees.

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

Will the goats die? You know your DH better than we do

No! the trees LOL! The goats are fine. Naughty, but fine

[WisJim]

Goats and fruit trees are basically incompatible. You can have one but not both. As far as I have seen, it is impossible to keep goats away from fruit trees if they are on the same property, and if the goats are alive. I don't think that you can fence the trees well enough to keep the goats out, or at least most people aren't willing to put a goat proof fence around their trees, or to adequately fence the goats so that they NEVER get out.

You might be able to do bridge grafting over the areas of missing bark, but this might be kind of late in the year for that. Usually it is done to repair winter damage by rabbits or other vermin. If there is only occassional bark missing, not all the way around the tree, the trees might make it.

[haypoint]

If the bark is removed completely around the tree it will die unless you can do a sucessful bridge graft. It is difficult to do sucessfully in early spring, unlikely sucess in the summer. Often when there is damage all the way around, the tree will continue to grow for this season, but will not put out leaves next spring. It isn't the removal of the bark that spells doom for the tree, it is the layer directly under the bark. It is only one cell thick. I'd guess the goats got that layer too.
If there is at least a little bark that runs uninterupted between the roots and the branches, there is a chance of recovery. If the trees are only a few years old, start saving up to buy new trees next spring. If they are older, there is a chance that the lower part of the tree will send out branches below the damage. With carefull pruning, you may be able to create a graftable rootstock out of the ruined trees. Then you can graft new varieties onto that new growth next spring.
It isn't just goats that ruin fruit trees. I've seen people turn horses into an old fenced orchard, killing many old varieties of apple trees.

[soulsurvivor]

Is that goat I smell cooking?

[ronbre]

first..were the apple trees grafted or grown on their own roots..if they were grown on their own roots you can cut below the damage and there will be sprouts that will come up..choose the strongest one for the new tree and fence it with sturdy fencing.

otherwise..they are likely going to die...let the goats finish them off.

[OJ Rallye]

We've been trying for 5-6 years to get 15 dwarf fruit trees established. Like my little vinyard, my orchard gets almost no pruning. I wait till spring to see if anything is left to prune off. Between deer and rabbits, I don't have to prune.

Frequently when it is warm enough I go and paint the chewed areas with some tree dressing.

I have a little pear that had all the bark and branches stripped off above 2 feet. It is growing branches below that level and we'll see.

If you need the name I can look later.

[ET1 SS]

There is a 'bridge graft".

It can be done to save fruit trees. I have attended workshops and I have grafted. though I have never attempted a 'bridge graft'.

I would call your local nurseries, and ask them, if they have anyone who is good at grafting, and if they have experience doing a 'bridge graft'.

Only a person with experience doing this procedure, is qualified to look at your trees and to then say, if they can be saved.

[haypoint]

Most fruit trees are the result of grafting. I've never seen a fruit tree offered for sale that wasn't grafted.
I have seen where the tree died above the graft and the tree put up new branches that became the trunk of the new tree. People are then suprised that their tree doesn't produce the variety of fruit that they thought they bought. All they get is small hard tasteless apples. If you allow the base of the tree to grow a new trunk, plan to have poor fruit or plan to graft something eatable to it.
A piece of mesh, like what is used in concrete, makes a good 5 foot tall barrier. Cut a chunk about 12 feet long and make a fence around each tree. Use some rods to keep it from moving or being tipped over. Before fall, you must put tree wraps on the trunk. Loose enough not to squeeze the trunk, but tight enough not to let mice into it.