Thoughts On A Tree Issue?

[Diggin It]

That's what I'm thinking, but there are four or five new shoots. Leave them all for now to see which is dominant, or trim to just one or two?

 

[Ford850]

My pears grow in a modified upright form, so I like a central leader. When I cut mine for the same reason you are, it was about waist high I think. It didn't have any growth, just looked like a fence post. I left several of the new shoots come from just below that cut and selected the best one to leave as the leader when I pruned them the following winter. That allowed enough energy from the leaves through that summer to support the roots, and now it's getting close to normal looking again (a few years later).

 

[Diggin It]

Whacked it off about an inch above the new growth ... deader than dead in the middle.

That's the cut off piece, so you'd be looking up towards the top of the tree.

Now I'm wondering if I need to seal the cut on the growing remains.

 

[Jstpssng]

It won't hurt to seal the top. What you would see if it was alive is green under the bark. I sometimes scrape the bark off with a thumbnail, to determine if a tree winterkilled.

 

[Diggin It]

New growth is now three feet or so. None of the sprouts seem dominant, so I'll have to pick one or two and sacrifice the others.

Meanwhile, two of three apple trees of the same variety are growing fine while the third is staying green barely but not showing any real growth. Odd thing is that's the only one of the three with a bloom.

Bambi and friends have been nibbling the new growth off my Bing Cherry. Had to add some wire caging up higher this morning to help it have a chance. The Black Tartarian right next to it doesn't seem to attract them and is now quite a bit taller.