JWP Bark Cracking

[SgtPilko]

Hey folks, just looking for a bit of guidance on my JWP (1st one, had it since January). The bark on the JWP portion above the graft (JBP roots) has been cracking in places a little all through the growing season, but seems to have swelled even more just lately here in late summer.

Intuitively this feels like a good thing for a developing tree which is far from refinement stages- trunk swelling, bark getting rougher. But is it totally normal, and to this degree? The cracks look quite wide and there are always some beads of resin here and there as it heals. If its not normal, maybe I over fed?

Thanks!

 

[Housguy]

My best guess, the new growth is coming in underneath and expanding the outer bark causing it to crack, but that guess is elementary at best.

 

[penumbra]

My best guess, the new growth is coming in underneath and expanding the outer bark causing it to crack, but that guess is elementary at best.

I agree, it is producing mature bark. This usually takes awhile.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

If its not normal, maybe I over fed?

I'd like to point out that the swelling of wood has to do with the amount of carbon captured by the foliage, and is not directly influenced by the amount of nutrients you dose. Plants don't store nutrients like we humans do in our tissues. Nutrients do influence how much foliage a plant produces and how well the foliage can capture carbon, but it's mainly the sap flow and activity of the foliage that demands more vascular structures, and those vascular structures are composed mainly from carbohydrates in some shape or form.
You're getting good trunk growth, that means your plant is healthy. That's a good thing!

 

[Paradox]

Thats crazy. Ive seen trunk expansion/bark development on my pines but nothing quite as dramatic as that.
Indicative of rapid growth/trunk expansion, which is great, means you're taking good care of the tree.

 

[SgtPilko]

I'd like to point out that the swelling of wood has to do with the amount of carbon captured by the foliage, and is not directly influenced by the amount of nutrients you dose. Plants don't store nutrients like we humans do in our tissues. Nutrients do influence how much foliage a plant produces and how well the foliage can capture carbon, but it's mainly the sap flow and activity of the foliage that demands more vascular structures, and those vascular structures are composed mainly from carbohydrates in some shape or form.
You're getting good trunk growth, that means your plant is healthy. That's a good thing!

Ok nice! Thanks a lot, yeah I was just pondering if all the feed and fluid could generate growth that was too rapid somehow and the cracking was too much. Apparently not so happy days!

 

[SgtPilko]

Thats crazy. Ive seen trunk expansion/bark development on my pines but nothing quite as dramatic as that.
Indicative of rapid growth/trunk expansion, which is great, means you're taking good care of the tree.

Hooray! Maybe this extra-summery-summer we've had has turbo charged it. If I can replicate it for a few years then we're definitely on track!

 

[Paradox]

Ok nice! Thanks a lot, yeah I was just pondering if all the feed and fluid could generate growth that was too rapid somehow and the cracking was too much. Apparently not so happy days!

yea it doesnt look like its through the cambium so I think youre fine

 

[Bob Hunter]

Did it freeze over the winter could be trunk Split

 

[SgtPilko]

Did it freeze over the winter could be trunk Split

Thanks Bob, I don't think its that though, we havent had a serious freeze in years