Gale damage
By Bill_h
United Kingdom 
We are just back from a fortnight holiday and find our garden fruit trees devastated by extreme gales while we were away. Almost all the leaves on a large cherry tree are dry, curled and brown as are many of those on pear and apple trees. The young fruit has turned into little black balls. Many wayside deciduous trees in the area are also affected. Is there anything we can do and what is the hope for the future?
Bill H, Fife
6 Jun, 2011
Answers
Many thanks. That has cheered us up. We had visions of having to replace our blighted well-established trees. The birds will miss the cherries though!
7 Jun, 2011
We're just a couple of hundred yards from the sea, up on a cliff, and often have the same situation after summer gales. If it happens often the trees get "sculpted" by the wind, but they normally survive, once they've got established. I'm sure the birds will find alternative food somewhere more sheltered. That's the advantage of having wings!
7 Jun, 2011
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The fruit may well be lost on the fruit trees, but I'd expect the trees themselves to survive, unless newly planted - in which case it's a bit more questionable. The established trees will be able to replace the lost leaves, though the new leaves may well be smaller than the originals. Some twigs may die back too - there isn't really anything you can do except tidy up any deadfall once it's shed off the tree.
6 Jun, 2011