[davidmw]

Does anyone have any ideas about this,  not sure if it is dead or dieing but the leafs and starting to go dry and brown

[sunshineband]

There are scale insects underneath that wooly looking sticky stuff, and gradually they weaken the tree.

Easiest way to deal with them is to scrape them off by hand, using soapy liquid too. If you get it in time you will save the tree.

Keep the tree well watered. cut off any dead brown leaves and new ones might sprout before the end of the season.

[Aunt Sally]

I've had them !

I did that !

Tree is now fine ! 

[sunshineband]

Good! 

Good the tree is OK I mean, not that you had the pests of course 

[davidmw]

there is some bark missing aswell,  looks like something has been chewing it at the bottom of the tree.  Any ideas if will cause any problems.  I had a little look at the white mould stuff and there seems to be some sort of brown insect shells or something in it.

[Aunt Sally]

The tree will recover from bark damage as long as it does no to all the way aroung the stem/trunk.

[sunshineband]

The brown insect shells are the ones I mentioned 

[mumofstig]

Google images of Scale Insects and you'll see the shells and the white stuff.

I had lots on my gooseberry bushes this year....I drenched them with provado Ultimate bug killer, and that did the job

[chrissie B]

i had some blue stuff on my apple tree i just scraped it off
chrissie b