Trees store energy locally for their leaves, they don't store it in the roots. So the tree could be using stored carbohydrate for leafing, and when it tries to move moisture from the soil it could become unhappy.

One thing about tree wrap is you are trading off making it easy for critters and pathogens to do their work by providing them protection too. If the tree is forming callus, it is too late to graft and all you can do is wait and see. But I wouldn't get my hopes up if they are girdled all the way around. In the future there are wraps specifically to keep bunnies off the bark, you see them in neighborhoods where people use it to protect bark from string trimmers handled by incompetents.

Dan

Sounds like a great warming winter dish to me: rabbit in pear sauce, yum!

Billie

I have tried over the years to grow Blue Damson plum trees - grafted on whatever rootstock they use. Last attempt, I bought 5 of the things, planted them in with the other fruit trees, and this year, only one is left. And that one looks like someone took a really, really dull chain saw to the graft - amazing the thing is still alive, and the only reason it's standing is because its roped up to a t-post. I dunno what got to it, but something very close to the ground. No other trees were bothered.

I was given, 4 years ago, some locally sourced Blue Damson bush divisions, along with some for Green Gauge, and they are thriving. They flowered for the first time this year, although a bit early, and they froze.

I am hoping to get to plant my orchard next spring. I plan to start prep work late summer/early fall. I know we have rabbits out here, but I have never had a problem with them. I don't think they have eaten any of the plants I have lost, mainly because the plant was still intact, just deceased. Anyway, after reading the comments about the girdling, I might just get some of the tree wrap anyway, hate to spend all that time and effort just for a February snack for Peter Cottontail.

Billie