Question
One of two maples we planted last year 08 has split bark in 09.  The installers put black wrap on initially, but now it extends above and below the wrap.  We have called the installer but they haven't responded.  Is there anything we can do?

Answer
Sounds like sunscald. Sunscald often is called southwest injury because it most often occurs on the southwest side of young tree trunks. In Colorado, it primarily occurs from December through March on young, thin-barked, deciduous trees. Sunscald occurs less frequently in other parts of the country where winter temperatures remain cold and where cloudy, sunless days prevail.

High intensity sunlight, which occurs at a lower angle in the sky during the winter, heats up the south and southwest side of deciduous tree trunks. This causes cells to come out of dormancy and become active. After sunset or as weather changes, temperatures may drop below freezing. This temperature drop kills active cells and conductive tissue. Later, this injury may appear as sunken and discolored bark. Still later, this bark may crack or fall off in patches, revealing dead tissue underneath.

Young, thin-barked deciduous trees, such as honey locusts, fruit trees, ashes, oaks, maples, lindens and willows are at highest risk. Commercial tree wraps made of crepe paper insulate bark and are an effective way to prevent sunscald. In late October or early November, wrap trunks upward from the base of the tree to a point just above the lowest branches. Overlap about 33 percent with each turn. Secure the wrap with tape, but be careful not to attach the tape to the tree bark. Be sure to remove tree wrap and tape the following April to avoid girdling and possible insect damage. You may need to wrap trees each winter for several years until bark thickens and is less prone to sunscald damage.

Once a tree has been damaged by sunscald, there is little one can do. Therefore, prevention is the only reliable cure. The pastic should have been removed. The planter should have given you this instruction. IF they did not I would ask that they replace the tree with a new one.