Help with old fruit trees

[ClueLess60]

Hopefully someone with far more experience than myself can advise.

 

My garden has some apple and pear trees, some of which were in an overgrown state when I moved in due to the last owner passing away.

 

I started the process of slowly pruning the trees a little at a time when I moved to the property 3 years ago, although I didn’t get some of them done last year due to ill health.

 

Some trees are probably only around 5 to 6 years old and seem to be in good order, and I have pruned these for 3 years and seem to have them under control. The more mature trees, however, have severe brown rot, not only to most of the fruit produced but also, I believe, nearly all of the branches, even the really major ones. I have read a lot on the subject, so I have been careful to clear the affected fruit and remove it from the site.

 

I am giving serious consideration to cutting everything down just to leave the stumps, with a view to hoping something viable and fruiting will re-grow. One reason for this would be to try and protect the other immature trees from catching it, as they currently seem to be disease-free. The second reason, they are rather large for the part of garden anyway.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Edited January 15 by ClueLess60

[Muddy42]

I have experienced brown rot, but maybe not to the extent you have. I think you are following the right approach for any old fruit trees - reduce them to a manageable size over a few years. Thats what I am doing too and the resulting new vigorous growth looks pretty healthy.

[ClueLess60]

Thanks for the input, Muddy. I realise this but the question was to whether I will get away with removing all branches and the trees surviving.

Edited January 16 by ClueLess60

[sandspider]

They may survive, though generally older trees recover less well. If you cut them to below the original graft you'll get growth from the rootstock, not the fruit tree you want / expect... (Assuming they were grafted that is)

[ClueLess60]

Many thanks, Sandpiper, I have some young'ish trees the previous owner planted in the borders, presumably to replace the older ones when the time was right, so I think I might just bite the bullet and get rid of the diseased ones altogether and be done with it.

[sime42]

12 hours ago, ClueLess60 said:

Thanks for the input, Muddy. I realise this but the question was to whether I will get away with removing all branches and the trees surviving.

 

I think you might get away with it. I did a job for someone once that included cutting down a diseased and dying or might have been dead, apple tree. I cut it down to ground level and thought nothing of it. Going back in subsequent years I saw that it had sprouted up again. With some nurturing over the years it was growing into a decent little tree again. Not sure about the rootstock issue though, it could well have been growing from there.

[nepia]

@ClueLess60  If you do decide to keep the old trees don't forget to mulch them with woodchip over cardboard.  Trees struggle with turf growing around them.  It's a message I bore people with constantly but one that is seldom taken on board!  Turf just soaks up soooo much rain before letting any through to roots below

[Stere]

Quote

I think you might get away with it. I did a job for someone once that included cutting down a diseased and dying or might have been dead, apple tree. I cut it down to ground level and thought nothing of it. Going back in subsequent years I saw that it had sprouted up again. With some nurturing over the years it was growing into a decent little tree again. Not sure about the rootstock issue though, it could well have been growing from there.

 

Iv'e done the same,  when a old tree  was ring barked by canker, now its back prducing a decent apple crop still has some canker but not as bad as before.

 

 

[ClueLess60]

Many thanks for the info, everyone, much appreciated.

 

nepia, Is it advisable for all fruit trees to keep the turf away, young or old?

 

I have more well-rotted compost than I know what to do with. Is this suitable to use over the cardboard, or does it need to be woodchip, straw?

 

And out of interest, why cardboard? Does it have some magical properties?

 

 

[nepia]

Is it advisable for all fruit trees to keep the turf away, young or old?

                         In my opinion yes; all trees in fact.  Turf soaks up fantastic amounts of water before letting any through

 

I have more well-rotted compost than I know what to do with. Is this suitable to use over the cardboard?

                         Perfect.  Will aid soil structure and aeration and feed the worms

 

And out of interest, why cardboard? Does it have some magical properties?

                         Apparently it is magic:  many say that worms love the glue!  Mainly though the cardboard kills the grass

[Muddy42]

23 hours ago, ClueLess60 said:

Thanks for the input, Muddy. I realise this but the question was to whether I will get away with removing all branches and the trees surviving.

 

Removing all the leaves could shock and kill the tree (this happened to me).  Personally if the trunk is sound, I would remove the branches above head height in the autumn in two stages two years apart.  Spray all the resulting shoots a few times with fungacide.