Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Plant Species >> Trees

Grass Trimmer Damage on Young Apple Tree: Will It Survive?

Assessment

If the tree is still green and the bark is not cut all the way around the trunk to the wood (full girdling), it will survive. A 3-inch vertical strip of missing bark is not fatal.

Protective Steps

Spray wound with imidacloprid (Merit) to deter borers attracted to stress.
Mulch 3 inches deep in 3-ft ring (not touching trunk) to hold moisture and keep trimmers away.
Install a trunk guard (spiral plastic or hardware cloth) for future protection.

Outlook

The wound will callus over in 1–2 seasons. Monitor for borer holes (sawdust, sap) and treat promptly if seen.

Trees: Diagnosing Apple Tree Fruit and Leaf Problems; Maple Borer Infestation in Old Wound: Treatment and Risk; Mushrooms on Ash Trunk: Internal Decay, Not a Death Sentence; Soil Piled Against Tree Trunks: Hidden Root Damage; Maple Trunk Suckers: Normal Response to Sunlight; Tree Cavity in Deck Tree: Don't Fill, Fertilize; Hollow Birch Trunk: Decay Fungus, Tree Still Healthy; Reviving a Wild Apple Tree: Pruning and Care Guide; Borers in Young Columnar Apple Tree: Can It Be Saved?; Basal Suckers on Indoor Palms: Areca Palm Growth Habit

Garden Articles

Historic Apple Tree Cavity: Leave Open, Boost Health

Seed-Grown Apple Tree: 10-Year Wait for Fruit

Crabapple Borer Treatment and Recovery

Deer Antler Damage on Red Maple: Emergency Response

Saving a Rotting Poplar: Fertilization for Structural Longevity

Apple Seedlings: Will Grow Into Trees, But Fruit Quality Is a Lottery

Southern Magnolia Leaf Drop: Normal Seasonal Shedding, Not Disease

Plants

Apple Tree Bark Separating from Trunk: Tree Dead or Dying—Check for Borers, Fire Blight, Contact Extension

Apple Tree Decline: Fewer Blossoms, Wilted Leaves

Crab Apple White Fluffy Growth: Scale or Powdery Mildew?

Growing Apple Trees from Seed in a Tropical Climate

Diagnosing a Century-Old Apple Tree's Decline

Storm Damage on Mature Conifer: Wound Care and Long-Term Assessment

Mango Tree from Seed: Rootstock Suckers & Fruiting Reality