Honey fungus

[Arborowen]

I have a client whose rear garden is likely the home of some armilaria, many trees and shrubs all dead or dying in a recent period with trees in decline over a period of 5 years or so. All of the plants that have died are on the menu for armilaria, however on none can I see bootlaces. Can anyone say how likely it would be that something else is going on. Short of digging holes throughout garden all I can really say is that it's HF.

 

Just thought I'd ask to see if there are any other Linley scenarios. Neighbour dispute/poisoning is unlikely the case as instances are located in various locations across garden.

 

Look forward to hearing some thoughts.

[Paul Melarange]

Any photos? What species are the declining trees? Are they different ages or recently planted? Does the garden get waterlogged? Do they have a regular lawn treatment? Has there been any significant landscaping carried out in recent years?

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

...is the garden environment sterile and sparse of any other food source for HF?

[Paul Cleaver]

was there an old orchard in the garden in the past - HF loves them

[Paul Cleaver]

any mycelium under the bark at the base of the trees?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

...is the garden environment sterile and sparse of any other food source for HF?

 

honey is ubiquitous, wether there is a food source or not (within range)

 

was there an old orchard in the garden in the past - HF loves them

 

No orchards required whatsoever

 

any mycelium under the bark at the base of the trees?

 

i would look for exudates before disrupting bark

[treeseer]

Good question Paul. If you've found no laces or mycelia, the LAST thing to say is "It's HF". Facts before theories: S. Holmes.

[Paul Cleaver]

honey is ubiquitous, wether there is a food source or not (within range)

 

 

 

No orchards required whatsoever

 

 

 

i would look for exudates before disrupting bark

 

 

Hi Tony - Agreed - but I have found several times, where gardens have been old orchards, honey fungus highly concentrated.

 

yes - and look for for areas whre the bark has lifted

[Arborowen]

Any photos? What species are the declining trees? Are they different ages or recently planted? Does the garden get waterlogged? Do they have a regular lawn treatment? Has there been any significant landscaping carried out in recent years?

 

All v good points, all considered. Various ages, elderly resident no gardening for some time although was previously well kept v little grass mostly beds, lawn treatments inside 10years unlikely. Bark lifting easily off most larger woody trees that are dead, (although that's a thing). No landscaping\disturbance. All species checked against a list associated as HF food source. Chalk escarpment so little chance of waterlogging.

 

For a free estimate visit for no work, that's the best I can do. So although I agree with knowing facts before committing we would not get v far in our industry if we didn't make professional guesses every now and then.

 

Thanks all

[nepia]

A DipHortKew friend of mine has suggested more than once that rapid decline in otherwise semi-mature trees may be becasue the roots 'have hit chalk', the implication being that they've sustained the tree thus far with the meagre topsoil available on much of the Downs (the North Downs in my case) but then can go no deeper due to the bedrock.

Could this be possible? I have a similar situation currently in Oxted with a ~35-year old Magnolia grandiflorum; in the last 3 months it has shown decline. It was fine - apparently - when and after I did further reduction work on it in late March.