Probably transplanting shock. Once it's adjusted to the new pot, it should be OK. Don't overwater it. On another thread, the discussion is about heading back a peach tree that is actively growing to lower its height. When you remove all those branches hoping to shorten the height; for peach tree, it may or may not sprout new lower branches. If it does not, the tree will die. I think you confuse pruning (heading back) at planting (when you plant a whip or a bare root tree) and pruning when a tree is actively growiing (summer pruning). There is also dormant pruning of established trees. It's done to remove dead, deceased branches, to shape a tree and to stimulate vigorous growth. Summer pruning is often done to take off branches to allowing more light to penetrate a tree, encouraging fruitbud setting for next year, etc. I hope I don't confuse you even more.

The damage looks old, you can see the callous the tree tried to create after the damage, except there are two small holes...one near the top and the other near the bottom. You can see it better if you click the link and then click on the magnifying glass at the top right and click and drag up and down to scroll up and down the picture. It looks like it was bitten on the left side and pulled across to the right, but there is still bark hanging off the tree on the right side. If a young deer was scratching up and down, would the strips be on the top and bottom and not the right? Anyway, I suppose my best bet is to cut below the damage and see if anything went below, if it is some type of bark fungus. Since this is the first time I've seen significant growth from one of the branches, maybe it's finally strengthened the roots? There were a lot of blossoms this year, but it needs a polinator, and we hadn't planted our second cherry at that point and I know of one neighbor who had cut down his cherry tree. Hopefully there's another close enough, otherwise I'll have to wait and see if our second cherry will blossom next year. I wonder on the second tree though, about pruning it to shape it if there's not much else going on? Do I want to reduce a major leaf source on such a young tree? It seems like the leaves on the very top branch are the largest on the tree. Would that mean that the tree is very capable of producing another branch, perhaps lower down on the trunk?

Diclemeg, I'm growing a few varieties of heirlooms...Aunt Ruby's German Green, Amana Orange, Cherokee Purple, and a red variety that I've yet to identify (saved seed from the farmers market). The key in this climate is to start them very early so that they set fruit before the temperatures rise. I started them at the beginning of January, set them out in March, and they set fruit all the way up to late June. Now, with the heat we've been having...110 degree days and barely dropping below 90 for more than a couple hours at night, little to no fruit will set no matter what you do. Mine have stopped setting fruit now so it's completely normal. I mulch heavily and water VERY deeply but infrequently - about once every 3 days. If they can get the plants through the next 1.5 months or so, their plants should start to set fruit again when the temperature starts to drop. I've picked about 200lbs of tomatoes so far so it's definitely possible to get a nice crop here in the desert with the right care. The terminal bud is the end bud on the main stem right? I won't prune green leaves as I need those to provide shade for the developing tomatoes but how/how much do I prune exactly?

I love lilacs, but I don't have a place for any bushes that need sun. Instead, I have been boldly lingering at others properties and burying my face in the flowers with a silly smile on my face. Please enjoy and post a picture when it blooms! Ken, those bushes can barely hold those blooms! What a great Spring display.