Taxus dying.

[tommer9]

Can anybody give me any pointers as to why this yew tree is dying? It is close to 2 driveways, it has been very dry and hot for ages, and as you can see there are bricks around the roots. My thoughts are root compaction, or just dehydration? Any more ideas please. It has got considerably worse since i saw it a month ago, and is now pretty much dead.

 

 

 

[likeitorlumpit]

Honey Fungus- killed your lawn as well sir:001_smile:

[tommer9]

No signs of armillaria at all, and there was no lawn anyway.

[tommer9]

BTW this is not in cornwall, its in shropshire.

[Fungus]

yew tree is dying ... It is close to 2 driveways, it has been very dry and hot for ages, and as you can see there are bricks around the roots. My thoughts are root compaction, or just dehydration? Any more ideas please. It has got considerably worse since i saw it a month ago, and is now pretty much dead.

 

On top of the root (and soil) compaction and dehydration, the problem is caused by a lack of oxygen, which causes the death of (the mycelia of) the endomycorrhizal microfungi, which need 20 % more oxygen then the tree roots do, after which the tree suffers from a lack of water and nutrients and the roots go unprotected against drought and invasions of (fungal) parasites, such as Armillaria species and Heterobasidion annosum.

[tommer9]

So what can be done?

Fell, or airspade (i am fairly sure that this woldnt be an option), and would airspade aeration be sufficient. There is a fair bit of epicormic young growth, although even that isnt as good looking as it could be, and i am unsure whether this is the tree fighting back or a last ditch attempt at life!

[Fungus]

So what can be done? Fell, or airspade (i am fairly sure that this woldnt be an option), and would airspade aeration be sufficient. There is a fair bit of epicormic young growth, although even that isnt as good looking as it could be, and i am unsure whether this is the tree fighting back or a last ditch attempt at life!

 

Although I can't check the diagnosis and prognosis of the tree, my armchair opinion would be, that all revitalising efforts will come too late and the tree is lost, because the symbionts will not return in time to keep the roots from further dehydration and protect them from attacks from fungal parasites, which probably already have invaded the living and/or dead tissues of the roots.

[likeitorlumpit]

No signs of armillaria at all, and there was no lawn anyway.

 

Must be me- remember our TV friend =tree honey fungus=kill your lawn love

Has everyone had a sense of humour bypass today

Is that a knock at the door- It's the men in white coats aaargh

Make mental note to write joke more often

[tommer9]

Thanks Fungus.

I think you are right. The tree is in an advanced state of decline, and as i said, even the new growth is very poor.

[tommer9]

Must be me- remember our TV friend =tree honey fungus=kill your lawn love

Has everyone had a sense of humour bypass today

Is that a knock at the door- It's the men in white coats aaargh

Make mental note to write joke more often

 

:blushing:No its not you...I remember now.

 

put a smiley though:thumbup1: