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Post by Reagan on Feb 28, 2022 21:10:13 GMT -6
I believe I posted this tree a few years ago but I couldn’t find the thread. Each year it appears to suffer from CAR. Each year it is a little more dead. I would say 80% of the tree is now dead. I tried grafting a couple small branches last year but those failed. They were my first graft attempts. So what can I do? Grafting seems to be the only chance. Should I cut down half of the big Y and try to graft there? Cut down both legs of the Y and graft? Cut it all and hope it sends up some shoots for grafting next year? I’d like to save it if possible. It’s the biggest crab on my place.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 28, 2022 21:14:52 GMT -6
Any interest in spraying Immunox to deal with the CAR?
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Post by Reagan on Feb 28, 2022 21:20:29 GMT -6
I’m not against spraying. One thing I’ve found is having a sprayer with enough range. This tree is big and my sprayer doesn’t seem to have enough reach. I guess I could spray from a ladder.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 28, 2022 21:27:46 GMT -6
If you can't control the CAR, then trying to save the tree may be a lot of effort for naught. Are any of the first few sets of limbs still alive? You could slowly reduce the height of the tree to make it more manageable. Drop crotch pruning is one way to reduce the crown height. www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/prunetree.pdf Crown reduction on page 4. Googling drop crotch pruning of apples should also get you to some videos.
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Post by biglakebass on Feb 28, 2022 23:31:11 GMT -6
Does CAR kill the tree?? I thought it just affected the fruits.
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Post by smsmith on Mar 1, 2022 7:30:45 GMT -6
Does CAR kill the tree?? I thought it just affected the fruits. If a tree repeatedly gets CAR badly and defoliates early, ya it can kill the tree.
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Post by benmnwi on Mar 1, 2022 11:58:28 GMT -6
Is the tree shaded pretty heavily? The branch structure and lack of lower branches looks a lot like some of my trees that are in shaded areas and tend to struggle. If that's the case, then I would first cut down some of the adjacent trees so the tree gets as close to full sun as possible. Sunlight and air flow can only help your situation.
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Post by Reagan on Mar 1, 2022 17:46:56 GMT -6
Is the tree shaded pretty heavily? The branch structure and lack of lower branches looks a lot like some of my trees that are in shaded areas and tend to struggle. If that's the case, then I would first cut down some of the adjacent trees so the tree gets as close to full sun as possible. Sunlight and air flow can only help your situation. I’m facing WSW when taking the pic. It’s open that direction. There are oaks shading it from the east and north. Can’t touch those.
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Post by Reagan on Mar 7, 2022 21:36:19 GMT -6
So this apple had been swallowed by the forest. It’s the long skinny leaner in the center of the pic. I have cut a lot of trees to the east and south to give it light. Need to cut some more. All of the branches are way up there. If I put a step ladder in the back of the mule, I might reach some. I would like to graft it but not sure how to tackle a tall tree like this. I worked my ass off yesterday. Cat’s comment about not spraying a tree to save it started to sink in. I always have a lot to do on a property 2 hours away. The chances of me adding spraying to the list of stuff to do is slim. Maybe the big tree that started this thread should die. I leaning towards cutting half of the Y and trying to graft something to it as it’s last hope.
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Post by smsmith on Mar 8, 2022 8:06:57 GMT -6
I've come to believe that if you're not ready to spray fruit trees at least a couple times a year, then I wouldn't waste much time planting and protecting expensive grafted trees. Seedlings, especially those that get started on their own would be about all I'd mess with. If those seedlings prove themselves to not be "self sufficient" then I'd either rip them out or just forget about them.
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Post by benmnwi on Mar 8, 2022 12:45:31 GMT -6
What kind of fruit does that tree have now? I've had some ugly, light starved wild trees that did pretty well after I cut down most of the adjacent trees. I wouldn't worry too much about grafting until most of the competing trees are cut down. Once you get a bunch of sunlight to that tree you will probably have more random sprouts popping out that you can graft to in a year or two down the road. That's a good find for sure though and I wouldn't give up on that tree.
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Post by smsmith on Mar 8, 2022 13:00:29 GMT -6
I have a number of mature wild crabs here. By the time I had the place, they were pretty much out of control as they'd never been pruned. All I've done with those trees is give them more sun and removed what dead branches I could easily get to. They produce well every other year with no spray. The fruit is loaded with little creepy crawlers and funguses, but the deer and other critters don't give a shit.
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Post by Reagan on Mar 8, 2022 16:26:41 GMT -6
What kind of fruit does that tree have now? I've had some ugly, light starved wild trees that did pretty well after I cut down most of the adjacent trees. I wouldn't worry too much about grafting until most of the competing trees are cut down. Once you get a bunch of sunlight to that tree you will probably have more random sprouts popping out that you can graft to in a year or two down the road. That's a good find for sure though and I wouldn't give up on that tree. It had a handful of golf ball size crabs 2-3 years ago. Each year I hope for better but seem to just see more dead limbs. The trees to the east are on a fence line and I can’t cut them. I don’t think the oaks to the north are a factor. This tree is pretty open to the south and wide open to the west.
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Post by Reagan on Mar 8, 2022 16:32:33 GMT -6
I've come to believe that if you're not ready to spray fruit trees at least a couple times a year, then I wouldn't waste much time planting and protecting expensive grafted trees. Seedlings, especially those that get started on their own would be about all I'd mess with. If those seedlings prove themselves to not be "self sufficient" then I'd either rip them out or just forget about them. Do you spray your wild crabs? Right now I have 4-5 wild crabs that I have found that are trees. Ive only seen a fruit on this one. The others were far more shaded, smaller and appear healthier. I’ve been opening them up. I’ve found a few more wild saplings. Right now I have no people apples planted. I do have 8 deer crabs coming this spring.
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 8, 2022 17:20:35 GMT -6
Reagan,
My suggestion would be to get it a lot more sunlight. If you do it will sprout branches lower on the tree. There’s buds (?) hidden in the bark that’ll sprout and grow if it gets lots of sunlight. I have a tree in my orchard that was 25’ taller than yours that looped over like a candy cane. I opened it up fully and the lower limbs formed again. I topped it at 14’ and now it looks like an apple tree again and is loaded with fruit. Without sunlight it won’t grow well. Keep taking down or girdling those trees that surround it.
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