Sick Apple

[Phil71]

I have a client with an apple that takes pride of place on his lawn. I noticed earlier this year that half the tree had a thin canopy and small leaves. There is some damage to the bark at the base on the same side that the leaves are thin. Any ideas anyone? I've recommended that the grass is removed under the tree and a mulch put down and add some mycorrhizal fungi, not sure what else can be done?

[agg221]

That's quite a lot of missing bark. I would be looking for the cause, to make sure it doesn't spread, or happen again. It could be rabbits, but I haven't seen them go for a mature tree when there are alternatives. It looks too severe for strimmer damage.

 

It could be canker, although that normally looks 'wet'. Try peeling a piece of bark off from around the edge, and see if it is dead or alive. If it is dead, with a funny sort of sweet smell, it's canker, in which case I would peel off all the dead, looking for the live (green) edge and trim back to the live line all round. You could then apply a suitable fungicide.

 

I would agree with the mulch, although I would probably apply it by cutting the grass as short as possible, then putting down a double layer of cardboard and mulching over that, to avoid disturbing the roots. I would also keep the mulch away from the trunk itself by a couple of inches. If I couldn't establish a cause for the damage, I would probably put a bit of wire mesh round the base of the trunk until I knew what was doing it, to keep animals (e.g. squirrels?) off. I would then look at a reasonable helping of balanced fertiliser (e.g. blood fish and bone or Growmore, depending on your taste) in spring and hope it's OK. The extension growth on the healthy part of the tree is not particularly long if it hasn't been summer pruned, so it could withstand a bit of pruning back this winter if desired, and the fertiliser and mulch would be helpful with this.

 

Finally, if the branch which is suffering does die, don't give up on the tree. Within 3-4yrs it could be re-framed to give a good balance with the remaining main branches - I have done this with some much more bizzarely shaped starting specimens!

 

Alec

[Phil71]

That's quite a lot of missing bark. I would be looking for the cause, to make sure it doesn't spread, or happen again. It could be rabbits, but I haven't seen them go for a mature tree when there are alternatives. It looks too severe for strimmer damage.

 

It could be canker, although that normally looks 'wet'. Try peeling a piece of bark off from around the edge, and see if it is dead or alive. If it is dead, with a funny sort of sweet smell, it's canker, in which case I would peel off all the dead, looking for the live (green) edge and trim back to the live line all round. You could then apply a suitable fungicide.

 

I would agree with the mulch, although I would probably apply it by cutting the grass as short as possible, then putting down a double layer of cardboard and mulching over that, to avoid disturbing the roots. I would also keep the mulch away from the trunk itself by a couple of inches. If I couldn't establish a cause for the damage, I would probably put a bit of wire mesh round the base of the trunk until I knew what was doing it, to keep animals (e.g. squirrels?) off. I would then look at a reasonable helping of balanced fertiliser (e.g. blood fish and bone or Growmore, depending on your taste) in spring and hope it's OK. The extension growth on the healthy part of the tree is not particularly long if it hasn't been summer pruned, so it could withstand a bit of pruning back this winter if desired, and the fertiliser and mulch would be helpful with this.

 

Finally, if the branch which is suffering does die, don't give up on the tree. Within 3-4yrs it could be re-framed to give a good balance with the remaining main branches - I have done this with some much more bizzarely shaped starting specimens!

 

Alec

 

Thanks for the advice Alec, I pruned it in the summer which is when I first noticed it. Going back in Feb to mulch, thought it would be ok to remove the grass while the tree is dormant. Will definitely be keeping the tree if half does go.

[swinny]

the bark damage does look quite severe like some ones hacked at it with a little axe! too many flat edges on the bark to where its missing.

 

 

Also glad agg221 said about cardboard, recommended this the other day to a customer

[Phil71]

the bark damage does look quite severe like some ones hacked at it with a little axe! too many flat edges on the bark to where its missing.

 

 

Also glad agg221 said about cardboard, recommended this the other day to a customer

 

I did wonder if the gardener had been banging the lawn mower into it! Apparently he's getting on a bit, had a go at pruning the apple, not great! I'll give the cardboard a go too, cheers.

[Gollum]

Hard to tell from pics,

Possibly a bit of mildew or silver leaf.

Also strimmer damage.

Bridge graft in new root stocks,

Has suffered woolly aphid in the past,

[agg221]

Hard to tell from pics,

Possibly a bit of mildew or silver leaf.

Also strimmer damage.

Bridge graft in new root stocks,

Has suffered woolly aphid in the past,

 

Hi Mark, interesting comment. I wasn't aware of silver leaf in apples - how does it show up and is it as progressive as in plums? What is your visual cue for identifying previous woolly aphid problems?

 

Alec

 

p.s. 'bending' has made a very significant impact on rate of re-frameworking this year.

[slack ma girdle]

Strimmer damage

[Gollum]

Hi Mark, interesting comment. I wasn't aware of silver leaf in apples - how does it show up and is it as progressive as in plums? What is your visual cue for identifying previous woolly aphid problems?

 

Alec

 

p.s. 'bending' has made a very significant impact on rate of re-frameworking this year.

 

Silver leaf can affect apples the same as any other tree, the visual sign is a grey sheen to the leaf,

depending on the variety of apple can depend on the progression, usual cause is heavy pruning when the sap is rising.

 

visual cue for identifying previous woolly aphid.

is the condition of the bark circled