Apple tree looking poorly

[AdeTheSpade]

Hi everyone, bought an apple tree (Lord Lambourne) after being to an apple day at Ryton, last autumn, planted it pretty quickly following all the intstructions. It recently started to produce some early leaves, which then seemed to shrivel and die, and it looks very sorry for itself now, no leaves left at all . Has it died a death d'you think? Or might it resurrect itself? I wondered if it perhaps been caught by cold winds, but we've not really had any I can think of, the wind has mainly been coming from the south for ages it seems.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear AdeTheSpade, i must admit it sounds as if it is a root problem, what isn't very promising i'm afraid. Was it sitting in very heavy wet soil over the Winter by any chance.
I think i have lost a new Gage to this sort of problem.

I would leave it for now, to see what happens though.

[Fat Andy]

It doesn't sound great but I'd give it a bit of time yet. You might want to bung some sulphate of potash around it and water it in. I usually chuck some round my fruit trees at this time of year.

FA

[PLUMPUDDING]

It has been a very dry spring and it may be short of water. It definitely sounds like a root problem. Was it bare rooted, container grown, or containerised?

I've only ever had problems with the containerised trees in the past. They grow them in the ground then dig them up, chop off most of the roots and put them in a pot to sell.

I would give it a good watering with liquid seaweed well diluted and make sure you keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged - and hope for the best.

[Beryl]

I did the same thing and bought a Lord Lambourne apple only at West Dean Apple Day 4 years ago. I nearly took it out as its been looking sickly for the last 3 years but this Spring - blossom is beautiful and lots of leaves so I would say be patient if you can. Maybe this is one variety that takes time to establish.

I did ask a similar question here and I think it was Alan who suggested I take a stanley knife to it and cut a slit right down the bark, he assured me it would kick start the tree but I didn't have the courage to try.

Beryl.

[AdeTheSpade]

Thank you all so much for your considered replies - very much appreciated.

I think it was containerised - but was grown by Walcott Nurseries who are a well known and reputable organic grower, so I'd be pretty surprised if it had been badly treated and had its roots chopped off and just bunged in a pot, but I suppose you never know.

Actually I bought a plum tree at the same time and that also doesn't look terribly happy and isn't producing any leaves at all yet, so perhaps that's also struggled with the cold winter and dry spring.

I have watered them fairly regularly, and am continuing to do so. Perhaps if I'm patient, I'll be lucky like Beryl - I do hope so!

AdeTheSpade

[Johnboy]

Hi Ade,
I bought 6 new apple trees from Walcot Organic Nurseries, including a Lord Lambourne, and, touch wood, they are all doing fine and are coming up to flower in the near future.
As the others have said it appears to be a root problem. It could also be a soil problem. What was growing on the site where the tree is now?
JB.

[AdeTheSpade]

Hi Johnboy,

It was ground that hadn't been cultivated before, at the side of my allotment. There had only been weeds there before to my knowledge, which I cleared last year before planting the tree. The soil there didn't look particularly good, so I put some well rotted manure and also compost from the compost heap, into the planting hole, watered well before putting the tree in and have kept it pretty weed free since.

Do you think it might still survive? I'm also concerned about the plum tree that I planted at the same time which also doesn't look great at all, as in no leaves have put in an appearance yet.

Glad you had more luck with yours from Walcott! I really don't think the nursery have sold me a duff tree, I do think something has happened since I planted it.

[Primrose]

I'm not an expert on fruit trees but am just wondering whether something nasty could have contaminated the soil where the trees have been planted?

[Johnboy]

Hi Ade,
Prior to planting your trees did you consult your allotment neighbours?
Sadly it has been known that a fellow allotmenteer fears that they will suffer light problems and has acted accordingly!
My Trees from Walcot are really very good value for the money and I expect great things from them.
JB.

[AdeTheSpade]

Hi Johnboy,

Fortunately there's no problem with trees on our site, there are plenty of them already on various plots. In fact, my plot is the last one on the end (my trees are planted about 4 feet from the fence) and so any trees I plant won't affect anybody at all, and there are already 3 massive trees just on the other side of the said fence (a few yards from my trees though!) which do give me some problems with shade, dryness of soil, etc.

And thank you Primrose, I too had thought whether something might have contaminated the soil, I suppose that's not something to be completely ruled out, as a new picket style fence was erected in the autumn and painted with green stuff, a bit away from my trees though having said that.

All in all, I'm thinking more and more along the lines that the cold winter and very dry spring have perhaps been too much for the trees, and can only hope that I'll be lucky and they'll pick up in time. I really, really hope so!!

Thanks again for your support and helpful comments.

[Johnboy]

Hi Ade,
I am thankful the my suspicions are unfounded. Sadly that sort of malarkey does occur.
If you are too close to very mature trees they can deprive your tree of water and we have had a very dry spring so far this year. Plenty today though.
I have a very large Birch tree and that means that one of my vegetable beds gets starved of moisture. I have, several times, actually dug a trench to destroy the roots from this tree (with a mechanical digger) and that tree can put the roots back within two years and the last time I did it I inserted a vertical heavy duty black polythene membrane and this has now cured the problem as far as I can tell.
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

Just a quick update, the new gage that is actually a new damson ops
has just started to break bud. So not dead thank-goodness.

Not sure if damsons are normally late starters!

[AdeTheSpade]

Both trees (apple and plum) unhappily still look as though nothing's happening - no leaves, no anything really. And, just to put the tin hat on it, I bought a cooking apple tree about a month or so ago from our local supermarket for £5, planted it at home and it's got leaves, flowers, the lot!

OH, glad your damson is looking OK anyway! Maybe sometimes a tree just gets a set back with weather or whatever and then recovers.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear AdeTheSpade, sorry to hear your trees are still refusing to grow, but thank-you for your kind words.