Severe injury to peach tree -Can I save it?

[Miniorchard]

With a bumper peach crop this year, the added weight of a fat raccoon broke a main limb on my dwarf peach tree. The damage is really bad. What should I do? Should I top it, and hope it survives? The injury is so deep and rough, I'm afraid it will start to rot.

 

[Raintree]

Prune out the broken limb & reduce the weight of the damaged side. I wonder if fat plump peach feed raccoon's are tasty?

 

[Miniorchard]

Prune out the broken limb & reduce the weight of the damaged side. I wonder if fat plump peach feed raccoon's are tasty?

I'll do that, thanks! Is there anything I can do to protect the deep wound, or is it best to leave it to scar over by itself?
I wish we could eat the raccoons, but for some crazy reason they are protected in Toronto. We can't even live trap them and move them! An average weight for one in my city is now 20 pounds -that would feed a family for a while!

 

[Raintree]

It's best to let the wound callous over with no intervention. Maintain tree health, static support heavy fruit laden limbs.
Twenty pounds is a big coon, they have the potential of getting larger. Once they get a taste of ripe peaches you're going to have issues. Never heard of them being protected, just wait for the rabies outbreak.

 

[Miniorchard]

Thanks Raintree! One last question: I understand that you shouldn't prune out more than 25% of a tree in any given year. Will it shock it too much if I prune moderately this winter, given the damage that it's trying to heal from? Appreciate all the help!

 

[Raintree]

Normal pruning on the tree as a whole, 25% weight deduction on the compromised limb. Thin fruit & support branch as needed to help prevent further damage.

 

[diezelsmoke]

Everyone will think I am crazy, but try to save it. Buy an oversize exhaust clamp and line it with heater hose, clamp the limb up high back in place and run a screw or two through the limbs. Get some help and get everything ready and lift the limb into place in one move.
By the looks of the picture and being a dwarf tree with some age, you only have about 2-5 years at best left in it and if your like me peach trees are a blessing and hard to get to live in the first place.
You have nothing to loose and get another one started to replace it.

 

[Miniorchard]

Normal pruning on the tree as a whole, 25% weight deduction on the compromised limb. Thin fruit & support branch as needed to help prevent further damage.

Will do, thanks a ton for the input!

 

[Miniorchard]

Everyone will think I am crazy, but try to save it. Buy an oversize exhaust clamp and line it with heater hose, clamp the limb up high back in place and run a screw or two through the limbs. Get some help and get everything ready and lift the limb into place in one move.
By the looks of the picture and being a dwarf tree with some age, you only have about 2-5 years at best left in it and if your like me peach trees are a blessing and hard to get to live in the first place.
You have nothing to loose and get another one started to replace it.

I hope I have a bit more time with it, I only planted it 4 years ago. I'm lucky, my garden has a stone wall that creates a microclimate, and up until now, it's been going gangbusters. Fingers crossed!

 

[flashhole]

Shoot the peach stealing raccoon.

 

[Miniorchard]

Shoot the peach stealing raccoon.

And string them like Christmas lights from my rain gutters. Sadly it is illegal to kill a raccoon in Toronto, and they are a huge problem in this city.

 

[Axmeaquestion]

Only illegal if you get caught

 

[Miniorchard]

Only illegal if you get caught

 

[Raintree]

 

[Miniorchard]

It needs a peach in its mouth! That's some serious grilling!

 

[flashhole]

Nooooooo! That's not what I think it is ... is it?

 

[Axmeaquestion]

Nooooooo! That's not what I think it is ... is it?

If you thought "delicious bbq" then yes...yes it is