Is my Apple tree dying?

[Easy_Rider]

Calling on the wealth of knowledge there is on RB for some help.

This is our Apple tree and it's quite a big feature of the garden.
Last spring I noticed some of the branches (on the right hand side) had died, which I pruned, but there seems to be a lot more dead this year. Although the tree still produced a huge number of giant apples last year and there is a healthy blossom this year especially on the left hand side.

The bark has been peeling more every year, and this year it seems to be right to the top and there is some fungal growth near the bottom.

Is there something I can do to prevent it dying further? I don't really want to loose this tree.

 

[REKIBorter]

PM Lollipops she's a horticulturist

 

[mickyc]

i'm no expert but i remember my old mans mini orchard suffering with canker have a little google m8

 

[Lawbags]

Looks similar to our pair of apple trees. They have bene giving us fruit for the last 3 years no probs!

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

looks like an old apple tree to me, will go on to fruit for many more years yet. There looks to be alot of dead wood in the canopy of the tree, I would advise removing this, ASAP. I'll have a proper look at the pictures when i am at work tomorrow as I am just off out.

PS - This is what I do > www.premiertrees.co.uk

 

[Easy_Rider]

Thanks greenrabbit, would appreciate you taking a look at the photos when you get a chance

I did cut all the dead wood out last year, the canopy was much larger, but a lot more has died this year, some of those branches seem to have white stuff on them too, but all have their bark stripped.

Wasn't too bothered about the crop as it produces far more than we could ever use anyway, just don't want to loose the tree.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

As long as it isn't the dreaded honey fungus!

 

[Mr Panda]

Not much you can do really, its on the way out yet could possibly last a good while yet. Trees can take a long time to finally give up. You won't cure/reverse the ailment though.

Plant a new one in preparation for the time when this eventually has to go

 

[cannondale king]

this may sound crazy but get a bar of soap proper soap like coal tare and a bowl of warm water use the soap to foam the water up then rise over the white fungas 3 times a week should help reduce it (old cider hands trick) the soap dosn't hurt the tree but f**ks off the fungus :shock: and make sure the water is really soapy place feed the tree some plant food

 

[hamster]

I had a similar infection in my garden (not on apples).

It killed the lot, although not until most of the shrubs and one tree had given their all in a last burst of flowering and fruiting.

If your apple is a rare variety, now is the time to take a healthy bit and graft it onto some new root stock.