Good morning,
I have been worrying about my Utah Giant cherry tree. It is not thriving like another one I bought at the same time.
Before winter arrives. I need to decide if it is alright, or should I pull it? I received these from grow organic. They were in great shape. But this one attracted ants and just struggled. I got them in the Winter of 2021 and planted them in the Spring. Both are planted in 6 foot deep planters and full sun. Zone 6 Coastal Massachusetts.
I noticed something unusual at the base, that I thought might be making it more vulnerable and weak. Can you identify what is going on here?
Maybe too much water?
It now has developed canker, a common disease for cherry. We have had a very extraordinarily wet year. That makes it very hard on stone fruit including cherry esp. one that is trying to establish. The location of the canker on your tree (on the lower trunk) is also concerning.
Colleen,
Mamungs diagnoses is correct, and the treatment mentioned in her attachment should work. I had a sweet cherry do the same thing on its lower trunk. During the dormant season I used several applications of copper sulfate, then in the spring after spraying my last application, insuring I covered the entire trunk, and letting it dry, I coated the entire trunk with a pruning sealer. Several days later I coated it again. Now a few years later it is growing bark back over the area where bark was lost. This winter I will treat it again as a preventative with liquid copper.
Also I noticed a couple old wounds that should be sealed. The tree can recover,
Dennis
Yes Colleen, Thats what I used and it worked, but wait until tree is completely dormant!!! Do not apply after springtime bud break until the next dormant period.
Dennis
