Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Paul Canning on January 02, 2011, 15:58

Title: Is my apple tree dying??
Post by: Paul Canning on January 02, 2011, 15:58

Hi all, hope you can make out the pics here.

This trees been in my back yard for years and occassionally suffered from wooly aphid which i'd treat. It had a hard (vicious) prune last year due to some work I needed to get done last year and it was that or cut it down, so thought I would try and keep it even if it takes a few years to come back.

However, now all the snows finally gone and we've started inspecting the garden for the work it needs this spring we had a look at the tree today closely and found it covered in what looks like wooly aphid so i've hosed it off and taken these pictures.

Has anyone any advice as to this damage and what I can do to save the tree or is it done for?

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Donegal_Paul/bitsandbobs/IMG_2825.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Donegal_Paul/bitsandbobs/IMG_2828.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Donegal_Paul/bitsandbobs/IMG_2829.jpg)

Title: Re: Is my apple tree dying??
Post by: gillie on January 02, 2011, 16:32

I guess  you used flash to take these pics, which makes it harder to see what is wrong with it.

I think that most of the blistery things are in fact new buds developing in response to the hard pruning you gave it.

It does not look as though it is dying to me, but you might have to prune it judiciously to prevent it turning into an unproductive hedgehog tree.

Title: Re: Is my apple tree dying??
Post by: Paul Canning on January 02, 2011, 22:08

I had to use flash unfortunately, ill get the tripod out tomorrow and take some proper non flash ones.

However, it was literally covered in a white powdery substance that looked like mildew and which i hosed off. I cant imagine that they are buds though as there's clusters on the main trunk, as in the last picture?

Title: Re: Is my apple tree dying??
Post by: TheSpartacat on January 03, 2011, 01:26

It almost looks like the tree sap has expanded and trying to escape...

Title: Re: Is my apple tree dying??
Post by: gillie on January 03, 2011, 09:09

If the small orangish spotty things (as oppose to the larger yellow ones) are coral spot then I think your tree has had it  - but it does not look quite like that to me.

The white powdery substance could have been a lichen which is harmless.