Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: jonewer on April 24, 2011, 21:38

Title: Cherry tree dying
Post by: jonewer on April 24, 2011, 21:38

I bought a cherry tree from homebase over Christmas for £10 - its about 8' tall.

It seem to be dying from the top down. Buds that had sprouted leaves have wilted and died with the uppermost ones being affected first.  :( The problem seems to be working its way down.

I thought it was due to under watering but have been giving it water every day and the cottoneaster and bluebells nearby are all fine but the cherry continues to give up.

Any ideas?

Title: Re: Cherry tree dying
Post by: mumofstig on April 24, 2011, 21:49

rather than water it a bit everyday............give it a really, really, really good soaking every now and again.....the water has to get a long way down to get to the roots.

Title: Re: Cherry tree dying
Post by: Janeymiddlewife on April 24, 2011, 23:19

Jonewer - exactly the same has happened to a pear tree i brought new last year, mine is about 6 foot high, and it's just the central branch that has been affected. I've cut the branch out and removed it from the plot, have been watering regularly and it got a dose of BF&B in late March. MIL gave me an old pear also planted at a similar time (unknown variety). It has thrived and blossomed, but didn't set fruit last year. The new tree has healthy leaves, didn't blossom last year and no sign of blossoming now. I'll wait to see if it continues to spread, if so, may be curtains  :(

Title: Re: Cherry tree dying
Post by: jonewer on April 25, 2011, 07:21

Quote from: Janeymiddlewife on April 24, 2011, 23:19

Jonewer - exactly the same has happened to a pear tree i brought new last year, mine is about 6 foot high, and it's just the central branch that has been affected.

Did you get it from somewhere like homebase or b&q?

Title: Re: Cherry tree dying
Post by: Rangerkris on April 25, 2011, 07:48

My Mother-inlaw got a peach tree last year and it showed all signs of giving up. She left it in the ground and this spring it has sprung. Dont give up on it it might make it through.

Title: Re: Cherry tree dying
Post by: SG6 on April 25, 2011, 10:05

Cut through a piece of the dead wood and see if there are signs of a fungal infection. If there are then you may need to get drastic and cut back in to the good wood quite a bit as well.

If there is an infection it will not be visible although present further down.

The problem with places like homebase etc is that they are not garden centers and so trees can get stressed, lack of water and incorrct pruning, and pick up infections more easily.