Re: Recovering a bark-damaged lemon tree

bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

 
Now the problem is to control the regrowth to prevent, or at least
slow down, the canopy's return to utter, impenetrable, chaos.

The recovery of the tree is proceeding apace, in rather disorderly fasion.
Photos are:
http://www.zefox.net/~rprohask/lemon_damage/trunk_recovery.jpg and
http://www.zefox.net/~rprohask/lemon_damage/crown_recovery.jpg

Does anybody have thoughts on when to start removing obviously
inappropriate growth? It seems pretty clear that sprouts coming
up near the root crown should come off. Buds pushing out higher
on the scaffold are a tougher call.

Right now the root structure is appropriate to a tree about
fifteen feet tall and maybe ten feet wide. That needs a certain
amount of photosynthesis to remain healthy, likely far more than
is supplied by the existing leaf area. That suggests leaving all
growth alone initially and then progressively removing unwanted
branches after some delay.

Anybody got a hint what an appropriate delay might be? Weeks, months?
Maybe a year? Seems best to minimize the tree's wasted investment.

Thanks for looking, and any thoughts.

bob prohaska