sick fruit tree

[DinaJean]

Found this fruit tree when we cleared for the new house. It was a mess of overgrown everthing. Woods and vines had grown up where it was once all farmed. Here is a picture of how this tree looks today. It appears to be very old. I cannot tell you anything about fruit or anything else as it was just uncovered from the woods where it was never seen.* I have 10 acres there and just starting to push back the woods little by little, so I am not for lack of trees. I dont know if this one is worth the effort or just too far gone. Any thoughts? BTW - the tree is about 20 feet tall.

[Newt]

Wow, that poor looking tree!* Let's do 'tree health 101' and 'tree pruning 101'.* :)* Trees will often repair themselves, especially with a little help.

Top pic on the left looks like the wire from the tree is deeply embedded and the bark has healed over it.* If so, and you want to remove the ugly insulator, make sure there's no power on first.* :?* (Guess that's a 'no brainer'.)* Cut the wire close to the insulator and remove it and the embedded wire from the tree.* The tree will heal over the hole and the slit.

For the next two on the left titled 'I have fungus' and 'and even more fungus...', what you have is lichen.* That's a good thing.* Many critters eat it, (you can too if you're ever stranded in the woods), hummingbirds use it along with spider webs to build their nests, and lichens aren't parasites.* They just use the tree as a place to live.* There are many different types of lichen and their existence on your tree means a lack of air pollution. How cool is that?*
http://www.lichen.com/animals.html
http://www.backyardnature.net/lichens.htm
http://www.lichen.com/

For the upper right picture titled 'I have vines', the 'vine' closest in the pic appears to be growing out of the trunk and might be a sprout that has fused to the trunk.* That's called bark inclusion.* Remove this if at all possible as it will eventually become a weak spot in the tree and can actually cause rot inside that you won't see until it fails and splits.* If it's a vine, remove it.* You can cut the vine near it's base and gently remove from the tree.* In that same picture, just to the lower right of the 'vine', there appears to be a poorly made pruning cut with the remains of the branch still attached to the tree.* In the pictures I will include you will see where to properly make the pruning cuts just in front of the branch collar.* That way the tree can repair the cut end without leaving any limb parts to rot and invite insect pests.

The middle picture on the right titled 'and more fungus...' is lichen, but I'm concerned with what appears to be either a branch that broke off or was pruned improperly.* It appears that several branches have emerged as a result.* More on how to prune in a bit.

For the picture titled 'yellow spots on my leaves', it appears to be yellow spots with brown centers.* That is often a bacterial spot disease.* Knowing which species of tree could be most helpful, but I suspect that just cleaning up and allowing more air to circulate will help with that.* Clean up all fallen leaves in the fall and dispose of them.* I'm wondering why you say it's a fruit tree. Did you find the remains of fruit or some pits?* This tree might be an apple or pear.* Here's some info on a disease called Alternaria blotch that effects apples so you can see if the symptoms fit.* Look at the shape of the leaves too.
http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville.../omaltblo.html

Fabraea leaf spot of pear.
http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville.../omfabrea.html

Bacterial spot effects several varieties of fruit.* The symptoms are quite specific in the shape of the spots and how the holes develop in the leaves.
http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville.../ombactsp.html

Now to pruning, which is part art and part science.* You have some options.* Consider having a 'certified arborist' come and assess your trees (or at least some of them), naming them and making recommendations for pruning and disease resolution. They usually charge a consult fee from about $100 to $300.* If they make any pruning cuts, watch closely so you know where and how to do it.* I'll include sites that show how so you know what you're looking at.* You can do some of this yourself, but anything high in the canopy is best left to the pros.* I don't want to have to send you a get well card because you fell out of a tree or a large limb hit you in the head!* I also post at several arborist sites and often read horror stories of the diy-er who got in trouble.* Besides, once your trees are properly pruned, they will be more valuable and healthier.* Sure beats having to pay even more for removal of diseased, damaged or fallen trees.

How to prune neglected apples.
http://lofthouse.com/apple/neglect.html

This site has loads of helpful info for pruning shade trees. Click on the topics under the picture.
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.html

Great pruning info here.
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B949-W.HTMl

When I'm only going to give someone a general pruning site with good pics, this is the one I use.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/ho...ne/prun001.htm

Pruning mature tree info.
http://www.isa-uki.org/pages/Prune%20Mature.htm
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare...ng_mature.aspx

Mature tree care.
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mature_care.aspx

Trees and turf.
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx

Proper mulching techniques.
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx

Now don't stay up all night reading!
Newt

[DinaJean]

Wow, what alot of great info. Now I know all about lichen! I only got halfway through the links last night before my eyelids gave out on me. Will read the rest tonight. I did start clearing at the base of the tree today and took some pictures, it looks worse than what I thought. I will post the pictures later at the end of the day. The base of the trunk seems rotted out on one side and alot of the spots where the limbs were "pruned" or should I say "whacked" look black and ugly and deep and scary. Couldnt get too good of a picture, but I will post them later regardless.

Oh yeah, and I would LOVE to have an arborist out here, but right now we are on "sabbatical" from the working world (well, the PAID working world) We certainly are WORKING on the property and building, thats for sure. But anyways, the arborist is not in the budget for now until we get back to work. So, it will be a dyi-project.

[Newt]

"I see", said the blind man!* So finish your reading homework and you will have a good idea of how to prune.* Wish I could come there and show you how.

I eagerly await your pics.* At least I might be able to tell you which trees are salvagable and which aren't.* You could practice on one that isn't.

Newt

[DinaJean]

Sorry about all the previous post-backs. Answering all my old stuff since the rain cut my day short.

*

Here is the new sick tree picture. BTW - I have an inkling it is a fruit tree because there are several other fruit trees in that area of the yard and the form, bark, leaves, etc all seem similar. The original people who established this property also seem fruit-tree-happy. I have identified in the front yard several cherry trees and a whole dang plum orchard! Dont know yet if it is American plum or Damson plum? (Are they the same) But I sure cant wait to get my canning equipment out of storage for the fall. Jam for everyone for the holidays!!!

*

Okay, the picture (actually 2)

[Newt]

Looking at the picture of the entire tree, this is one I would NOT save.* Use it for practice pruning.* Looks like it had borers and there is extensive rot at the root collar.* Not a tree you could easily bring back, if at all.*

Not sure about your plum question.* Maybe this will help.

Eurpoean plum - Prunus domestica
http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/ed...l#PlumEuropean

Japanese plum - Prunus salicina
http://www.luvnpeas.org/edibility/ed...l#PlumJapanese

Here's the main page for you to keep for reference for many fruits.
http://www.efn.org/~bsharvy/edible.html

Damson plum - Prunus institia is not the same.* This site has some interesting info on the different plums.
http://www.soupsong.com/fplum.html


"Jam for everyone for the holidays!!!"

Gosh, that brings back memories.* When my kids were babies, and I thought I would be 'Mother Earth', I made all my own baby food.* My mother in law would make loads of home made jams and I would make home made yogurt and add her jams!* YUMMY~~~* :dude:

Newt

[DinaJean]

I have a question for you Newt...

Disposing of the tree? Is it okay to burn in our burn pile (you never mentioned that it was diseased, but I just dont want to spread any bad stuff along to any of the healthy trees) , or should I drag it way off down into the woods.

Thanks :)

[Newt]

Good question.* If you can burn it that would be better as there is less risk of disease or pests spreading.

Newt