What is happening to my pawpaw sapling?
Kentucky, zone 6b. Recently had a foot of snow and ice, followed by a couple weeks of freezing temps. Both my pawpaw saplings (around 2 yrs old) have split like this. As far as I know, nothig has hit them, but we do have critters in the backyard. I put straw mulch around the base in early winter, which yoy can see poking out of the snow. I'm not sure if this is okay or not, or if I need to do something. I'm fairly new to managing trees.
Kentucky, zone 6b. Recently had a foot of snow and ice, followed by a couple weeks of freezing temps. Both my pawpaw saplings (around 2 yrs old) have split like this. As far as I know, nothig has hit them, but we do have critters in the backyard. I put straw mulch around the base in early winter, which yoy can see poking out of the snow. I'm not sure if this is okay or not, or if I need to do something. I'm fairly new to managing trees.