Badly damaged native shrubs/spindle

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

Hey guys, I have unfortunately completely forgotten my old details here so I'm back again under a new name.

To make a long and very annoying story short, a family member has badly damaged many of my native shrubs that have been planted for a few years. They ring barked the native spindles, so they are slowly losing their leaf and dying. These were single stemmed spindle, so I was wondering if anyone can advise if their is anything I can do or is there no hope? The bark is completely gone, with an inch gap, so I know that what has already grown can't be saved, but I was wondering if I cut them down to below where the bark has been cut, about 2-3 inches above the ground, would it regrow new shoots?
Or any other advice is welcome.

Thanks.

tagwex · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:33 pm Post subject:

Photos would help greenish. What was the old name just out of interest? You could have rang James or emailed James or Verge to get you back in again.

tippben · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 11:13 pm Post subject:

A strimmer? Yes, you are completely right, the best thing to do is cut cleanly below the damage, and keep your fingers crossed.

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

Thanks for replying guys,

@tagwex I can upload photos if it helps. Unfortunately I can't remember either my username nor what email I used.

@tippben Give that person the prize! The most of the damage was done with a strimmer, others are beyond repair, I really hope to save the spindles, it's rotten to lose all the growth but hopefully they will make it.

Thanks again.

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

I'll post again rather than edit as I have a follow on question for anyone in the know. Of the damaged spindle, a few were left with a small amount of bark, less than half the circumference, others more, others less. Most of these have prematurely gone to autumn colours and are weak and stunted looking. I'm thinking in the case of some of these, I may be best cut them back down too, and hope for regrowth. Or should I just leave them and hope they get enough sap to keep growing?

Also as tagwex asked for, here are pics, one completely ring barked, the other about half.

Good guy · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:18 pm Post subject:

That would make you weep - and want to squeeze the living **** out of the clot that did it! Sorry, I don't know enough to advise, so I'll just commiserate.

tagwex · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:48 pm Post subject:

Is that a blackthorn bush?

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

@Good guy Thanks, your commiseration is appreciated. It has taken all my strength not too destroy the strimmer or severely throttle them. Of the 40ish native shrubs and trees that were set a few years ago, they killed about 14or15 (mostly roundup) and maimed most of the rest.

@tagwex No both are spindle, one was damaged earlier than the other, so has darkened in colour.

Good guy · Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:48 am Post subject:

Is there any point using some of that spiral plastic tree protecting stuff around the survivors? It works like a gaiter, not pretty but......

Ado 2 · Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:54 am Post subject:

I would put some of that product they sell when you cut off a branch. It seals it and prevents disease setting in.

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

@Good guy What kinda adds to the frustration is that I had already those protective guards on the majority of ones I had seen signs of damage on or thought might get damaged. These latest destroyed ones are the ones that are so out of the way that I didn't think they'd need any. Hell was I wrong. Thanks for the advice.

@Ado 2 On the partially damaged ones? Maybe I should, I thought the advice on sealing wounds had changed from years ago, and now they say to leave uncovered. I'll try sourcing some, I have beeswax, I wonder would it do a similar job? Thanks for the advice.

Ado 2 · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:16 am Post subject:

Don't know but I will look it up see if I can find out prob would work.. Someone else may have used it before ? ?

Greengage · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:34 am Post subject:

They are small and cheap to buy barerooted from Oct to march, remove and start again, bare rooted spindles cost approx 50c from wholesale nursery. they wil always be miserable specimens.Dont strim around small trees like these either use weedkiller to supress weeds or you can buy collars made out of coconut fibre or matting similar to whats in hanging baskets or make your own out of mypex or carpet. As for painting trees forget it they are useless, Trees Compartmentalise decay within themselves . Check out CODITin trees by Alex Shigo

greenish · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 8

Thanks for the help Ado 2

@Greengage True enough, they are easy to come by, but a lot of mine are up on 6' so I really want to save any of them I can. I don't strim around any shrubs or trees, I just pull the weeds by hand when needed. Thanks for the advice, I'll check it out.