Yoshino Cherry- Maintenance/Care

Q: My ‘Yoshino’ cherry had been in the ground for two weeks and was doing great until the neighbor’s goat escaped his pen and found my tree. He ate the leaves then scraped two feet of bark from the trunk with his horns. The tree now has no branches on one side. What can I do?

A: This is a case where you would be better off replacing the tree than trying to nurse it through the damage. The branches that were removed supplied vital hormones that directed new root growth. The bark damage seems so extensive that no amount of treatment will ever “fix” it. The tree will be permanently weakened above the damaged area. ‘Yoshino’ cherry is easy to find at garden centers. Do yourself a favor and plant another.