[sloanranger]

Hello, im hoping someone can help be, my cherry tree has started to bud, but the whole tree is very sticky, barl, leaves and buds and some leaf edges are brown.  I have no idea what kind of cherry tree this is. any ideas on what it is and how to cure it, I dont realy like to use commercial pesticides but will if I have too

Thank You

Jo

[allotmentann]

Has it been pruned at the wrong time? I know that if you prune them in the winter they can 'bleed'?

[DaveJNeal]

is it a new cherry Jo ? Potted or planted ? can you eat the cherries raw without your face sticking to the back of your head ?

you see any ants on it ? sounds like you could have aphids on there, they'll coat it in sugar sap and everything gets sticky. if you see them, a soap spray is safe to use - I think it mixes up the aphid's skin or something - then a couple or hours or so later you can just wash the soapy stuff off with plain water. a 2 or 3% solution should do it.

if it's just in a couple of places ( which is doesn't sound like ) it might be a stress reaction, gumities I think it's called - usually when you clout it with a lawnmower or a wood pecker gets to it.

AllotmentAnn is talking about stone fruit leaf curl, which I think is a fungas what can get into open cuts during the winter and causes ( drum roll please ) the leaves to curl. to be honest it sounds more like wind burn if you've not trimmed it of late but am open. Could also be a chemical imbalance in the soil, if it's old, etc - I know peaches ( so I guess cherries, but check ) like it just on the side of acid side. if it's potted I'd remove 20-30 % off the top and replace with good fresh brown stuff, if it's planted dump it around the base.

hope some of that helps, see how it goes and post some piccies if it continues.

best of luck

Dave

[allotmentann]

I am talking about bleeding, I don't know if this will make the tree sticky or not, here is a link to what I am thinking of:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_prunetrees1.shtml

[Trillium]

When I had cherry trees, I had terrible problems with borers literally boring into the trunk and branches and tunneling through leaving behind sticky resin.

Have a very good look all around the trunk and branches for any entry holes and if you do find any it will need to be treated with a systemic insecticide. It's the only way to kill the blighters.