Some years ago we cut back one of our large multi-trunked original apple trees (planted 1978), letting one young upright “branch” grow into a new tree (which it did nicely). For some years there have been plentiful pretty clumps of orange mushrooms growing at the base which was about 2/3 dead stump and 1/3 live on the side where the “new” tree is growing. I hadn’t paid much attention except to admire them. Then in fall someone on the forum mentioned Honey Mushrooms, and that you certainly didn’t want them in your orchard. Oh?? I looked them up. The mushrooms I had were gone except for some dried/frozen ones but based on photos and description that was indeed what we had here - Armillaria mellea - Honey Fungus, root rot fungus. Mycellium feeds on dead wood, then on into live wood, eventually killing the tree. No known cure. Oh great. I didn’t have to look far to see that the area around the stump was full of it.
Almost all report were gloom & doom type - it’s common all over. But one good trial in California gave some ideas - and hope. I read the report and picked up what I could from it, coming up with a plan. When I looked carefully at my tree it was definitely showing signs of stress with small splits in the bark, and woodpecker holes. In the summer it had had fewer and smaller leaves in the top branches which I had put down to stress from the record heat.
Early Dec. continued dry and mild here with no snow. So with shovel and trowel I set to clearing the sod from around the stump/tree. Not so easy with the thick sod and clumps of suckers, trying not to nick or damage live wood or live roots. I found some dried up mushrooms. Where there were no suckers it wasn’t too hard, dig down and out about a shovel’s worth. Getting the sod out around suckers and cutting them off without damaging live wood was an exercise in patience, but this is a special tree so no complaints. Trowel, loppers, an old hatchet and mallet, folding saw, whisk broom. Slow work but eventually I got down to the main live stump and major live roots, removing everything I dug out into the field away from trees.
Down about 5" I found gravel and stones I’d put around the base of the tree so many years ago. The root flair and some large live roots emerged. I was amazed at how much the surrounding soil had built up. Being within, then at the edge, of the garden it was in the richest, probably dampest, soil of any tree in the orchard, with thick sod built up over decades of growth.
Steve then went at it with the chainsaw, 2 sessions, lopping of large chunks of the dead stump (beautiful stained wood!), then carefully carving out, and down, all he could up to (and over) live wood, smoothing all so there were no “rain catchers”. It looked good (relatively speaking). I cleared up all debris (dumping it in the middle of the field) and did some final smoothing with a gouge. That’s all we could do, leaving it open to the dry air for the winter, hoping the cold will help knock down the fungus.
Come spring, I’ll surround the tree with fresh prunings and stuff from under healthy woods apple tree, hoping to get a competing mycellium going, encouraging the tree all I can.
