Ideas for what to do with a headless apple tree?

[tutti]

My sister has been having some building work done at the back of her house and a bit of "workman carelessness" seemed to have broken the top off her apple tree. I've not seen it, but having planted it for her 3 years ago, it was a half standard type and potted. I got it from a garden centre as a house-warming present and can't remember the variety, but from my recollection of the time, it was either Discovery, Red Windsor or Pixie (small flat reddish apples on photo.) It must have been mm106, as it said it produced a medium to large garden tree.

I'm only going by her description, but it happened a week ago, there is only a 1m trunk with a messy break (think the workman took the head off with his hands!) I've told her to use some loppers to make a clean cut an inch below the break and tightly cling film the top and wrap a rubber band around it. Hope that's the right thing to do.

Anyway, I'm going to see her in a week and was wondering if there was anything I could do with it. I said I would buy her another to replace it (once the oafish builders have left) and I might take the stump back with me. It shouldn't be difficult to remove and bag. Anyone have any suggestions for what I can do with it, assuming it's not dead? I could only think of a shorter half standard, or maybe a vertical cordon. I suppose I could have a go at a stepover, fan or espalier by cutting it lower down next spring. Or, should I not bother and tell her to get one of the builders to pull it out if in the way?

[Alison]

Are there any branches below the break?

[roitelet]

If there are branches below the break it could be retrained but if the whole top has gone you are only left with the stock which may grow but will not come true. It will have been grafted.

[clod]

clod

sorry to hear about this vandalism...

Apples are grafted - a fruiting top and a disease resistant or size-controlling rootstock. Some also have a third part, which is often the stem on a standard/half-standard.

If you've lost the whole of the fruiting part, then I'm afraid it's a goner.

If there's some fruiting part left then it should be possible to re-establish it.
Having some branches would be a big help, because that gives you a start.
Without branches it should still produce new growths next year from the stem (there are "emergency" buds on the trunk which will sprout). These can be pruned/trained in almost any way you want to - apples are amazingly co-operative that way.

As a response to stress/trauma it may also produce growths from the rootstock, which should be removed (cut back to the trunk) as they'll out-compete and take over the fruiting top.

Starting from scratch again like this is a labour of love which will take several seasons - replacing it will give you apples much more quickly and easily. As ever regular water and a little feeding are also needed.

Re the wound - a clean sloping cut is good, but I wouldn't clingfilm it (this can encourage pathogens under the nice protective cover), just leave it open to the air.

Good luck!

[FB.]

Pictures please.

[Kirk]

If you have 1 meter of remaining trunk then I would not worry a great deal.
Find a likely looking bud and cut a couple of inches above that. That will grow and take over being the "trunk", it will just have a bit of a kink in it.

At this time of year likely better to make sure that the break is cut and clean and you/she will have to wait for next year to see a suitable bud appear - would really suggest just leave the tree to get on with it all.

So basically, examine, nice clean cut at 45 degrees, make a coffee, wait 6 months.

Trees have been on this planet a hell of a lot longer then we have and are a lot better at survival then are, and I suspect a lot better then we ever will be.

[tutti]

I probably won't be able to get any pictures until I g and visit, as she's more than a luddite than I am regarding technology, so I told her to get one of her kids to take one and email it me. From what I can gather from her description - the half standard broke around from just below the main crown head where the branches come away from the trunk. She said it actually bent over from where I had attached a tie to a stake. Here's where I think the break is

[tutti]

Just seen the tree and it's a right mess. There's a messy partial crushing, partial break just below the branches become the canopy head. I'll go back and dig it up later, but have given it a sloping cut at 60cm, so just the trunk left now. Decided I'll take it home at some point, plant it in a corner and see what happens next spring. With a bit of luck there will be some new buds sprouting out from the trunk and I might be able to take a couple to form an espalier or maybe double cordon. Anyone ever had a go at growing these? I haven't a clue, but thought I'd give it a go instead of just throwing it away. Nothing to lose really.... but I did say I'd buy her a new tree for Christmas..... once those useless builders have left.

[clod]

I've grown these because I enjoy seeing if I can, and to fit them into small spaces! It's not really difficult and there's not much to do at any one time - by far the most of it is waiting. But how and when you do prune is vital. I'd suggest getting a good book (there are loads of them, but you need a bit of detail and clear drawings) and using some of that time to keep going back to it. I prefer a book because it's easier to take out and look at you plant with.
There's something very satisfying about watching it take shape and starting to fruit. But, as Roitelet says, if there's none of the top (fruiting) part left you'll never get worthwhile fruit, so really check where the grafts are before deciding

Good luck!

[tutti]

There's around 40cm or so above the bulge near the base (I'm assuming that is the graft.) I've got nothing to lose so will try to grow an interesting shape, maybe something like a fork with the trunk as the handle. don't mind waiting, as I imagine it will take a few seasons to see if it's going to work. At this moment in time, I've just left it and will wait until winter to dig it up and move it back to my garden. My other worry is that a m106 tree that was going to grow to be a 4m garden tree will be too strong to control and my fork, if it grows, will end up as four bushes on a handle!

It's around three years old, so will it be ok to plant another tree in the hole that's left when I take it out. Will it affect the new tree?

[clod]

The bulge at the base sounds like the union with the rootstock, but it would be good to check if there was a second graft between the stem and the top. This would probably be a weak point and might be where it broke. If there was a second graft then the stem won't yield good fruit either.
I like the idea of an apple fork! Four bushes on a handle sound interesting too! There's someone trying to grow tables and chairs from beech (by grafting stems together and training them) so anything's worth a go if you want to.
Over-vigorous trees (for the siutation) are hard to control - both root pruning and partial ringbarking can work, but are a little tricky, and a bit hit-or-miss. If you're keen, give it a go and see what happens - you can always abandon it and take it out if it becomes too much.
Re-planting the same thing in a 3 year hole is not ideal -I'd suggest enlarging the hole and putting in a lot of compost, organic matter, and long term fertiliser like bonemeal if it must go in the exact same place.

[tutti]

ok Clod, sounds like a plan. Always hearing about replant disease, but never sure how long it takes to develop in the soil - a year, longer? I also heard, you can plant a different type of fruit tree, so plums for apples and apples for plums etc. However, think this doesn't apply to apples and pears, as they are to alike and affect the soil in the same way. I imagine if I replace as much of the soil from the soil, from soil from elsewhere I the garden and then put the apple soil back into that hole I imagine it should be ok.