I set out a grafted pecan tree a few years back as a pollinator for older trees. A wind storm broke the crown out above the graft. I now have about 4 large shoots above the graft with one being larger than the others. The height is about 8 feet. Is the tree ruined? Should I leave it as is? Should I prune all but the largest one?

12/22/20089:20:20 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

You can do whichever you prefer, although I would probably recommend leaving all the shoots in place. I'm not sure if the total height of the tree is 8' or if that's where the break occurred and the sprouts are coming from. If you want the tree's canopy to begin there then you should leave it as is. If you want a higher canopy you should prune to the single shoot. Bear in mind that shoots of this kind are often more weakly attached than a typical branch, so if you grow one of these shoots into a single trunk it may be more prone to failure in the future. Also, the tree will probably look more normal if its allowed to develop its canopy from this place rather than off a single shoot that will result in a offset trunk. I would also recommend putting down some of our Sick Tree Treatment, which is a blend of biosolid compost, lava sand, and greensand. It helps damaged and stressed trees to recover. You can buy it at any of our stores or order it from our website.