My guess would be no on that one. Usually you can see some fuzzy tan spores right as the strike starts. Also hot weather alone can produce temporary wilting in the hot part of the day -- look again at 10PM and they will probably be straightened up. In any case do keep a watchful eye on them.

Scott

Maybe, but I'm guessing they're just dessicated from some combination of hot, dry, and windy weather, or transplant shock, or root damage, or phytopthera, but it's hard to say for sure. Look at the leaf curl lower on the branches. That shows lack of hydration. I would not necessarily be in a hurry to prune. If you start seeing progressive damage starting at the tip and moving backwards, then prune.

Glen, even though there has been London rain all year so far, surface soil can dry out quickly in scorching sun. The grass looks brown and the tree roots are not much deeper yet. Give some more mulch and attend to the watering on hot days.

If you have the center leader too long and whippish pinch the tip off. Growth hormones from the tree roots go to the extremities. The tree will form new branches toward the pinched tip. Lower branches will grow out while a new branch develops at the top. If you let the tree grow straight up this season. Next season you can select and train branches that grow out of the leaf axial buds this summer.
Either way is good, but a long leader will get pruned down next season to force lower branching so I pinch now to get maximum growth.

Thanks Scott & Frozen_North-

Sure enough, you were right. I'm glad I posted before pruning! The trees completely hooked yesterday, even more than what you see in the pictures, but then they stood right back up last night. I never knew that was possible! And, this happened in the morning where it wasnÂt all that warm couldnÂt have been more than 80 degrees at the time. Interesting. And, obviously IÂm very happy that it wasnÂt FB. Thanks again!

Hi TheAceOfSpades-

Actually, that grass on my 4 month old lawn isn't scorched. It's a disease called 'Red Thread' which is on just about every lawn around here. It's caused when you have way too much rain... more nitrogen rich fertilizer helps. Believe it or not, it was worse about a month ago, but since adding some N, the RT is starting to disappear.

Yep, my central leaders are long and whippy. (Actually, I just kinda happy that my new babies are doing well!) I had thought about pruning them back, but then I followed another recent thread which basically said Âlet the tree grow as much as possible in the first season, and only head it back for the start of the open vase during the dormant season.' So, this winter, IÂll top them at 40" or so to start my vase.

Knowing that, do you still think I need to pinch back those central leaders? Actually, IÂm embarrassed to admit that I never pinch, and I only prune. (IÂve always claimed to be a newbie!) When you pinch, are you simply crushing the tissue between your fingers? And then the excess droops and dies/falls off? Or are you using your fingernails to cut like a pair of pruners? IÂve tried Googling this before and IÂve never got a satisfactory answer. (I feel like I should have asked this question 4 years ago, but pruning has always worked fine for me.)

Thanks guys,
-Glenn

Glen- pinching = cutting
heres a you tube vid: pinching starts at 2:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddP7cbCiLR4

Thanks Joe. Yeah, I had actually seen that video before. So really, pinching is just cutting then. Do people use their fingernails to do so? Does it make a nice clean/safe cut? Whenever I've done it, it just feels a little dirty to me... Like I'm doing hack job compared with my pruners. I'll probably just stick with my pruners. Thanks for the video link!
-Glenn

Glenn...

I just returned from a few days back in RI. (HS reunion and family get-togethers)

It rained everyday I was there (well every night at least) and we didn't see the sun until Sunday when we left.

I still made it out to South Shore (Goosewing) and my wife said it was one of the best vacations of her life.

Wish I had free time to get out to visit.

~Chills

Hi Chills-
Come on over next time... Perhaps next time you're in RI, my trees will be big enough to be worth seeing!
And actually, this past week hasn't been all that bad, comparatively.
-Glenn

Do other people agree with the AceOfSpades that I should prune back these whippy central leaders? At the 40" height to start my open vases? Or should I wait until the dormant season? Thanks, -Glenn

Looks like you have a nice spot for some fruit trees!...I usually let deer and moose prune off first, the rest I do early spring.

Konrad

Let the little babies grow! Then this winter make sure lower scaffolds of tree furthest right aren't chocking upper growth unless you want to start the open center right there. If you want to start tree higher up you may want to completely remove lowest scaffolds more than half the diameter of trunk at attachment point. On central leaders I'd have slightly different advice.

I read of an interesting experiment several years ago that indicated that snapping small branches creates less injury than pruning them with a sharp blade. Snapping cleanly separates the cells while pruning severs individual cells. I only mention this so you'll relax about creating greater injury by pinching and for general interest. Pinching is the only useful summer pruning of a young apple tree in my opinion.

Thanks guys!
-Glenn