rabbits have nothing to do with it ...

that damage pre-dates may planting by at least a season or two ... probably when it was dug at the wholesaler ...

i dont see the root flare... explain how you planted it ...

as you can see.. its already been healing ... there is nothing to do.. IF it was planted properly ...

ken

ps: reading is good... the issue is usually the veracity of that which you are reading.. lol... rabbits bit across .. not rip down ... besides the fact.. that there is no gnaw marks... my biggest complaint of the WWW is TOO MUCH info ....

Thanks for the speedy response. Glad it's not rabbits!

As far as planting, I had dug a hole twice the width and as deep as the container the tree came in. After leveling the tree, the hole was back-filled with the soil from the excavation & mixed with some compost purchased from the nursery. A "jobe's" fertilizer spike inserted in the soil at one point in the canopy's circumferential radius. Covered the surrounding soil with cedar mulch three inches deep, per the instruction card attached to the tree. Root flare is hidden beneath the mulch. Watered and weeded surrounding area since.

What makes you certain that this damage is old? I do not remember seeing these cracks before.

Any good books I should purchase or look for at library?

I agree, the internet is a quick way to become misguided (the blind leading the blind type of thing). I have a method to my madness. I usually try to find a few sources that share the same/similar answer to my question before I believe most of it.

Cheers!

The reason we can say the wounds are old is that the vertical edges are slightly rolled and moving inward to cover the damage.

See this info from TAMU
http://essmextension.tamu.edu/treecarekit/index.php/after-the-storm/tree-damage-and-hazard-assessment/tree-wounds/

Here is a link that might be useful: how trees cover wounds

OK, great! Thanks for all of the speedy replies. I have another question, and hope I don't need to start a new topic. Sorry mods, if this is the case.

My leaves on this tree are becoming skeletonized. I read about this and believe it to be the work of the Japanese Beetle. I captured a few of them to compare to pictures online and they look identical.

Most of what I read says the best way to get rid of them is to capture them; either removing them from the area or placing them in some soapy water to die. Catching them is difficult as I may see 20-30 at a time. The first bit of movement on the tree send most of them flying away.

Any advice in removing the dreaded Japanese Beetles without pesticides? I don't think I can catch them all before they destroy all the leaves on my little tree. Another source suggested spraying the tree with soapy water. Won't that hurt the tree, though?

Thanks in advance!