Armillaria and replanting help required.

[Gary Prentice]

I've a client with some real tree health issues and to be blunt I'm stuck with how to go forward.

The client wants a row of 3m tall leyland cypresses planting, approximately 30, to screen a road and reduce the noise level. The garden has a number of semi-mature ash, horse chestnut, lime and sycamore. Yesterday we removed a sycamore with armillaria infection and a chestnut with bleeding canker.

The armillaria I'm assuming has taken hold from a stump a couple of meters away. We ground the sycamore and a number of old stumps, removing all the grindings and replacing with fresh soil. The lime looks to have phytophthora and at least one other tree has collibia fucipes.

The property is fairly new (10yrs maybe) and I suspect that during construction the rooting zones were comprised and a lot of these trees may be struggling. I haven't seen anything in leaf, so can't assess too much.

She's keen to plant the hedge, as well as some replacement trees, but I think its too high risk. I was debating replacing a lot of soil along the hedge line and putting rootbarriers in, to isolate the new plants, but the existing trees would prevent that. Soil fumigation is an avenue to search, but I don't want to destroy any mycorrhiza because I think the group needs every benefit it can gain.

Oh, the sites lawned or I'd be chucking a load of well composted chip down for starters.

[Jesse]

Why not start with Trees with a useful degree of resistance, page 146 Diagnosis of ill-health in trees, by R.G.Strouts,T.G.Winter, Its a very good book and lists the trees. Suggest a planting list from trees with good resistance and the go on from there, changing the soil is not a good idea its expensive and will not resolve the problem with any soil born Pathogens . hope that helps.

[Jesse]

Why not start with Trees with a useful degree of resistance, page 146 Diagnosis of ill-health in trees, by R.G.Strouts,T.G.Winter, Its a very good book and lists the trees. Suggest a planting list from trees with good resistance and the go on from there, changing the soil is not a good idea its expensive and will not resolve the problem with any soil born Pathogens . hope that helps.

 

All so if you can try not to plant single species.

[Gary Prentice]

I've got that list, unfortunately the clients set her mind to the hedge so diversity is out. Still got some options on the other replanting as to choice of species. Replacing the soil, with barrier, would be an alternative, but the remaining trees would scupper a continuous barrier.

Is there any other alternatives to decrease the aggressiveness of the armillaria, other than to increase the vitality of the surrounding trees.

[Scottie]

As I understand it, armillaria is in the soil all the time. It's just when tree roots become weakened, most properly mechanically, that the armillaria attacks. So why not get a soil sample done and have the soil amended using fertilizers. Also this will give you an idea if the cypress will be suitable for the soil and will survive the transplanting.

[Gary Prentice]

As I understand it, armillaria is in the soil all the time. It's just when tree roots become weakened, most properly mechanically, that the armillaria attacks. So why not get a soil sample done and have the soil amended using fertilizers. Also this will give you an idea if the cypress will be suitable for the soil and will survive the transplanting.

 

That's probably a good idea. The plot has maybe a dozen trees on, surrounded on three sides by retaining walls and is lawned. I'd imagine there are nutrient/mineral deficiencies anyway. I'd have loved to have visited earlier in the year when everything was in leaf, to better assess the vitality of the group.

 

Are there risks in amending soils? In that certain chemicals can increase certain soil fungi. I seem to remember reading something.

 

I'm going to meet the cllient again after christmas and broach the subject of replanting with beech, as a more tolerant species than cypress. There's a cracking mature beech next door, so I'm assuming that conditions are suitable.

 

[woody paul]

Can't see her going for Beech no much winter screening how about Holly. Look at Honey fungus resisdent plants Monty Don has written a bit may convince you customer there's a list may be a help

[Scottie]

Don't go for Beech if you can help it. Beech has a very low tolerance for transplanting and you will be going back to replace the ones that have died at your own expense.

 

A soil sample will tell you what nutrients are lacking in the soil and how to amend them. You need to look at NPK and also the trace elements. You don't put any chemicals into the soil, it generally is fertiliser. The company I work for can do a free soil sample for you and of if you want the Plant Health Care tech can do all of the soil injection for you.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Scottie
spelling

[Gary Prentice]

Scottie, Sorry I've been lax in replying your answer. I didn't know there was that much of an issue transplanting Beech, although I've never planted them at this size.

 

What's the requirements for soil samples? Ie, how much, how many samples over the site, any particular depth the sample has to be taken from? As you can probably guess this is outside of my field of experience. Do the samples need to be fresh (Could they be posted?)

Merry christmas, Gary

Edited December 22, 2012 by Gary Prentice
spelling- quick brain and slow fingers

[Paul Cleaver]

not many options really - stick a yew hedge in, slow growing but she will have to deal with it