Can anything be done?

[Bunzena]

"Inherited" and old apple tree that's had a major branch cut off a while ago.  The junction has now rotted back to create a significant hole just above (and now into) the main trunk.  The hole fills up with rainwater and is rotting further - causing a black 'dead' track on the trunk itself.  Doesn't look good.

 

Tree is around 4 meters high, trunk is only 20 cm in diameter - hole is around 8-10 cm deep.

 

We'd like to try and preserve the tree for as long as possible (has sentimental value) - so wondering what - if anything - could be done to help.

 

Fill the hole?  Cover the hole?  Further surgery?

 

Any ideas - gratefully received.  

 

Thanks.

 

 

[nepia]

I'd say that the spreading rot would remain confined to the dead heartwood if allowed to continue and I've encountered apples entirely hollow from the ground up for 3m yet still thriving.  Presumably at some point the pocket would fill with water and remain full in which case the rot would slow due to reduced oxygen present at the wood/water interface.

But in your circumstances I'd drill a drainage hole at an upwards angle into the base of the rot pocket.  I did it some years ago with a Tulip tree at home and the union survived for another fifteen years or so until a storm did for it by using the twenty foot long regrowth as levers on it.

You will be aware of the difference in durability of apple and Tulip; steel vs butter!

The hole I drilled was 20mm in a 300mm stem (approx).

Edited August 20 by nepia

[peds]

Have you got a zoomed-out picture for context? 

 

Apples are hardy bucks really, they'll do their best to just soldier on through all sorts of damage. Try and drain the hole as nepia suggests, but if the tree has sentimental value and you aren't looking for optimum yield from it, just let it do its own thing. 

Show a distance pic of the whole tree and its surroundings and there might be other suggestions for what you could do, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it to be honest.

 

If you like the fruit it provides, start planning a replacement tree for when this one gives up the ghost... it's easy and fun to graft donor wood from your tree onto a rootstock, they make great presents for family members or friends of the original owner of the tree, that sort of thing.

[sime42]

On the continent they often seem to fill any large cavities like that with concrete, and that appears to work. Which surprises me, I don't think it would work here in our damp, mouldy climate.

 

Here's one I saw in China a couple of months ago. Complete with built in pipes for drainage.

 

 

[Mark Bolam]

Filling with concrete ‘works’ in that the cavity is filled, but it doesn’t do the tree any favours at all.

Read some Shigo.

[Mark Bolam]

Access Denied

WWW.GREENSBORO-NC.GOV

 

[Mark Bolam]

See point 5 above.

[peds]

2 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

Filling with concrete ‘works’ in that the cavity is filled, but it doesn’t do the tree any favours at all.

 

Doesn't make processing them for firewood upon their demise any easier, either.

 

Shite for biodiversity, too.

[sime42]

Point 2 above is straight from a Tarmac Specialist's doorstep flyer

 

 

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Bunzena said:

"Inherited" and old apple tree that's had a major branch cut off a while ago.  The junction has now rotted back to create a significant hole just above (and now into) the main trunk.  The hole fills up with rainwater and is rotting further - causing a black 'dead' track on the trunk itself.  Doesn't look good.

 

Tree is around 4 meters high, trunk is only 20 cm in diameter - hole is around 8-10 cm deep.

 

We'd like to try and preserve the tree for as long as possible (has sentimental value) - so wondering what - if anything - could be done to help.

 

Fill the hole?  Cover the hole?  Further surgery?

 

Any ideas - gratefully received.  

 

Thanks.

 

 

Fill with some compost and put a couple of Daffodil bulbs in there .