Q.Fruit Trees After Freeze
We had a freeze and snow in February in San Antonio, Texas. After pruning the dead branches off my trees, new growth is showing around the base of the trees, but not on the upper branches. Is that normal or do I need to trim off the upper branches as well? The upper branches seem to be peeling their bark. My trees are Meyer Lemon, Valencia orange, and Lime. Can you suggest what I should do? I’d like to keep them because they produce a good crop.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
If these are grafted trees (and most fruit trees are), and the new growth is below the graft, then they are suckers and need to be pruned off. The rootstalk is different from the upper part of the tree and usually not desirable for the fruit. Give it a little longer and see if the upper branches begin to leaf out.
You also can scratch off some of the bark to see if there is green below. If so, then the trees are still alive.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/winter-damaged-trees-shrubs.htm
