[Uffda]

Hi,
My friend on the allotment has an old apple tree.  Not sure how old it is but more than 20 years old.  It's been healthy for years, but over winter, there has been some damage to the bark, one long 'cut' vertically along a branch and peeling of bark at the base.  There hasn't been any mechanical damage with tools and we are at a loss to find a reason for the damage.  We live on the Wirral and there aren't any rabbits or deer in our part.
Any help on what could be causing this would be very welcome.
Vicky

[gobs]

It looks to me a crack as vs foreign injury.

In which case, you might want to read this:

http://www.treesforyou.org/Planting/TreeCare/Healthy/trunk.htm

Importantly, if it does not heel or enlarges, stake the tree as it's not too stable, ie. can fall on you out of the blue. The tree shall function yet for long, even in that case.

[Trillium]

Uffda, is there a chance we could get a closer pic of #2? I'd like to see exactly what the damage looks like and #2 is a bit too far away.

[snowdrops]

It looks to me like it has been dealt a blow that has split it.
There also looks to be various wet patches around the trunk-has it been pruned before it was dormant? It looks like it is weeping.

[Trillium]

It does rather look as if a car ran into it, doesn't it.

[Uffda]

Many thanks for all your advice.  I think the frost damage sugestion is probably the most likely as nothing we know has hit it and can't see what could have damaged it due the position it is at the plot.  We are on a very exposed part, only a few roads from the sea but the tree has waved around in the wind for at least twently years so should be used to it.  Maybe it's a combination of the two, freeze/frost damage and then high winds to widen the cut which is almost a metre long.  I really can't account for the trunk bark peeling off.

[gobs]

I think the peeling off the bark does come in the package, with the cracks. Uffda, just think of it as grandpa now needs a walking stick, otherwise, he can cope for many years to come.

[Trillium]

Wow, that really is terrible looking damage.

I don't know exactly what you've got there, but its possible the tree might need to be cut in the future to allow a shorter stump to put out new shoots. I would leave doing this until you're sure the upper part is dying off.

In the meantime, the main exposed area really needs to be protected. I wouldn't advise using tar paint. Instead, wrap the exposed area with clingfilm to minimize further peeling. Wrap the film around and around the trunk so it doesn't shift then bind with some poly string or hemp. Keep a close eye all season on it in case there are fungal problems at work; if so, unwrap the plastic and let it air dry. You'll find later in the season that the clingfilm will have to be removed as the trunk expands, then rewrapped and tied. You never want to have binding marks on the trunk.

Another method is to find pieces of bark from another apple tree, perhaps one on its last legs, and use that bark to shield the exposed area. Cover as much area as possible, tie on with string. And watch closely for eventual binding as the trunk expands.

For your winters, I'd advise wrapping the whole affected area with poly to avoid drying out by the winds. And staking the tree to the windward side is a must. Trees shouldn't be allowed to flop about like you describe. There should be only gentle swaying or there's trouble.

The splitting bark on branches almost looks like sudden excessive water intake caught out by rapid frost or heat. You see this a lot with toms that weren't watered regular, then had a sudden glut of water, and the skin bursts. Not much you can do about tree branches, but the clingfilm trick might work so the bark can catch up by keeping moisture levels more steady.