Can it be saved?

[ABC123]

We had someone come to cut back trees and bushes in our garden in December 2018. This tree is some sort of blossom tree and by now should be leafy. It’s bare and I’m worried it’s dead and has been damaged when it was cut back. The person that did it is my childminders husband who has his own company providing tree and garden services. I’d assumed he knew what he was doing but perhaps he’s not a tree expert? It’s awkward to go back to him due to the childminding link and at the end of the day the damage has been done. What I’d like to know if is my assumption correct that cutting it back in winter has damaged/killed it or if coincidence and something else has happened to it and if there is a possibility of it coming back to life somehow?  It blocks the view to the industrial estate and such a lovely tree and I’m gutted this has happened. Is there anything that can be done? 

[Gary Prentice]

To be fair, from what I can see in the photo his pruning wasn't that heavy at all. I suspect that if the plant is dead it isn't because of the extent or time of pruning. 

 

To establish whether it has died or not, try to scrape off a little bit of bark near the bottom of a stem - with your thumb nail. If it's bright and greenish beneath all's good. If its fairly brown it's probably dead. With the absence of visible buds or emerging leaves it's probably had its day I'm afraid.

[ABC123]

Thank you. I’ve tried scrapping it like you said and it’s really difficult as so dry but what I can see it looks brown. I tried on another tree that I know is ok and it scrapped a lot easier, was a little moist and could clearly see green. Unfortunately then it looks like it’s dead. I’m gutted. If it wasn’t cutting it back that killed it any ideas how this could have happened? Nothing has been done in the garden since the cutting back. 

[Mick Dempsey]

If it’s not in leaf by now, it’s dead (cherry btw)

 

Pruning looks good to me.

 

Sometimes stuff just dies

[Gary Prentice]

1 minute ago, ABC123 said:

If it wasn’t cutting it back that killed it any ideas how this could have happened? Nothing has been done in the garden since the cutting back. 

Was it growing well last summer? The drought conditions affected a lot of smaller trees. It's difficult/well nigh impossible to form a conclusion off of a few photos. 

 

[ABC123]

Yes it was fine last summer which is why we wondered if it was the cutting back as when I googled I found that if you do some trees in winter it can kill them. It was such a lovely tree so a shame it’s died. 

[ABC123]

Thanks Mick. I’d be relieved it it wasn’t the pruning. I’d hate to think that it had died because of that. 

[Mick Dempsey]

Well, I’m not saying it’s not the pruning!

 

But (as Gary said) the work done looks sympathetic and not too hard, under normal circumstances that wouldn’t present a problem to a tree.

 

Plant another flowering cherry in the late autumn, couple of years time, you’ll be screened again.

 

Here is my favourite, planted by me in my garden in 2008.

 

Just because..

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by Mick Dempsey

[Steve Bullman]

Agreed, not the pruning. Had to zoom in just to see the pruning cuts. It was a good job as far as that part of the story went 

[ABC123]

1 hour ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Well, I’m not saying it’s not the pruning!

 

But (as Gary said) the work done looks sympathetic and not too hard, under normal circumstances that wouldn’t present a problem to a tree.

 

Plant another flowering cherry in the late autumn, couple of years time, you’ll be screened again.

 

Here is my favourite, planted by me in my garden in 2008.

 

Just because..

 

 

 

 

 

That’s great. Looks really good. I think that’s what we are going to do. I loved that tree, it’s such a shame