Walnuts dying off

[welwell]

Hello All

 

Looked at some walnuts today for a good client of mine, they have an avenue of them, I reckon about 20 trees in total. Two of the trees have died this year and there are a few more in the rows that are looking very thin and could also be on their way.

 

I managed to peel some of the bark away at the base of the dea ones and although a slight "mushroomy" smell and some white sheeting there was no signs of any boot-laces. I know the walnuts are host tree to Amillaria, but does the lack of boot-laces indicate that this is not H.F.

 

I asked if he could remember any fruiting bodies over last autumn and he couldn't, so no help there.

 

Any ideas what it could be and also if indeed it is H.F. how can we stop this decemating his avenue of trees???

 

Suggestions gratefully recieved - Thanks y'all

[David Humphries]

I would imagine it is Armillaria.

 

I was looking at a Sorbus today that had died, and couldn't see any rhizomorphs, but dug done a fair bit and found them.

 

I'm going topost some shots a little later.

 

 

You could try root barriers, but if they're in a close avenue, i'd imagine the next ones in line could already be targeted.

 

Armilatox would probably work, but I would not advocate the use as this will probably sterilize the micro biology of the immeadiate rhizosphere.

 

Good luck

 

 

 

 

.

[gibbon]

Boot laces only form in soil or on dead wood. Often when bootlaces are seen they are a secondary agent moving in after a primary agent has killed the tree off. White fan shaped mycelium under peeling bark is an indication that the fungi is activily killing/damaing the tree. Sounds like it could be HF.

 

If it is HF felling and grinding may be best option but get as many roots as possible. I have read that an airspade has been used with some success to contain spread of HF.

[combined tree services]

if it is HF then as monkeyd has said root barriers would be an idea but as the trees as situated in an avenue then ther would be verry little point.

 

however there may be a bit more light shed on this when you fell the dead trees !

what is the rough age of the trees ?? i have found that sometimes i look to hard to try and find a disease etc etc

 

but i will be interested to see what you find when the trees are felled

[Dean Lofthouse]

So what caused their demise ?

 

Yes fungus is present, it will be on dead or dying trees??

 

I looked at some this morning, fruiting bodies and boot laces all over

 

Four trees dying in an avenue of 16 all four next to each other, some event has caused them to die, the fungus is there taking advantage nothing more.

 

It turns out after some questioning the owner about soil conditions and whether anything has been used on the soil, whats at the other side of the fence etc. that the neighbour has a swimming pool just on the other side which developed a leak two years ago and chlorine laden water leached into the soil for months.

 

Bingo, think beyond fungus

[combined tree services]

So what caused their demise ?

 

Yes fungus is present, it will be on dead or dying trees??

 

I looked at some this morning, fruiting bodies and boot laces all over

 

Four trees dying in an avenue of 16 all four next to each other, some event has caused them to die, the fungus is there taking advantage nothing more.

 

It turns out after some questioning the owner about soil conditions and whether anything has been used on the soil, whats at the other side of the fence etc. that the neighbour has a swimming pool just on the other side which developed a leak two years ago and chlorine laden water leached into the soil for months.

 

Bingo, think beyond fungus

 

 

glad you got to the bottom of it , i was not trying to be rude when i was saying about looking further than fungi etc

 

i was going to suggest thinks such as heavy salting in the winter etc

[Dean Lofthouse]

glad you got to the bottom of it , i was not trying to be rude when i was saying about looking further than fungi etc

 

i was going to suggest thinks such as heavy salting in the winter etc

 

Sorry CTS, that wasn't aimed at you mate, just a general remark.

 

I like the road salt thinking, come across many of those

[combined tree services]

Sorry CTS, that wasn't aimed at you mate, just a general remark.

 

I like the road salt thinking, come across many of those

 

lol sorry i really need to lern to read propperly lol