3 years later after saving a sunscaled apple tree

[Native Hunter]

Some of you may remember an old thread from 3 years ago where I lost a tree to sunscald and what I did to save it. I'm posting the link below for anyone interested:

http://deerhunterforum.com/index.ph...cald-on-a-liberty-apple-tree.2447/#post-44129

My plan for saving the tree worked, and three years later I have some beautiful apples developing:

 

[Chainsaw]

Watching your link Steve about screening your tree was interesting; it brought to mind the hundreds of Apple trees here that have two to six trunks. As in your case a microburst could have been the catalyst for some, maybe repeated deer browsing for others, brush hogging or skidder related events for some and likely a whole gaggle of other possible events have affected those trees in ways that they ended up growing multiple trunks as yours may have done if left untouched.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Can trees that are adequately watered get sun scald?

What is the pathophysiology/cause?

I thought fruit trees should be planted in full sun

bill

 

[Native Hunter]

Can trees that are adequately watered get sun scald?

What is the pathophysiology/cause?

I thought fruit trees should be planted in full sun

bill

Bill, yes adequately watered trees can get sunscald, and yes, most trees should be planted to get full sun. However, sunscald of the lower tree trunk is a different issue. It is also known as "southwest injury," and young trees are most at risk. I don't recall hearing of this happening on mature trees, even though you can't rule it out 100%. This happens in the winter when the warm sunshine thaws out the frozen bark on the sunny side of the tree (winter sun in the south and southwest).

The link below is a good one to cover all aspects of this. It tells the cause and gives ways to prevent it.

https://forestry.usu.edu/news/utah-...or-southwest-winter-injury-on-deciduous-trees

 

[Mennoniteman]

As was mentioned in the article, sun scald is one of the reasons why orchard people paint their tree trunks with white interior latex paint. If this is acceptable aesthetically this would be the easiest thing to do.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Bill, yes adequately watered trees can get sunscald, and yes, most trees should be planted to get full sun. However, sunscald of the lower tree trunk is a different issue. It is also known as "southwest injury," and young trees are most at risk. I don't recall hearing of this happening on mature trees, even though you can't rule it out 100%. This happens in the winter when the warm sunshine thaws out the frozen bark on the sunny side of the tree (winter sun in the south and southwest).

The link below is a good one to cover all aspects of this. It tells the cause and gives ways to prevent it.

https://forestry.usu.edu/news/utah-...or-southwest-winter-injury-on-deciduous-trees

Thanks,Steve
Link covers all my questions

bill