I have an older tree in the backyard. I have no idea how old it is, but I’m assuming about 30 years old. We moved into the house about 5 years ago. I have been trying to keep up with what the previous owner did, but the tree looks like it is sick. There is a growth at the bottom, and I dont know if there is a way to save it. The bark is looking like it is cracking up the branches. It is still trying to produce new branches everywhere and I try to cut the dead ones off. I don’t know if there is something else that I can do it help save it. I really don’t want to lose it. Any advice will help.
Perhaps take one of those healthy whips of last year’s growth and graft to a new rootstock, as this one probably won’t be around too much longer.
2 Likes
I’ve seen that occur on an old GD that I inherited, but it hasn’t proven to be a problem over the decade that I’ve observed it. The bark heals over and the tree remains vigorous.
The damage at the base is a different story. It looks as though it may end up girdling the trunk, which can kill the tree. I agree with @BlueBerry - if you like this variety, propagate it sooner rather than later.
2 Likes
If you could post a pic of the entire tree that would be helpful.
3 Likes
I hope this is better and helps. That cut branch on the left is one that I took back at the beginning of winter because it had died.
It may have a few more years, but I’d be planting some replacements.
Sorry to revive an old thread but, I didn’t see the purpose of starting a new one.
Is this golden delicious apple just turning golden or is it some golden funk?
Thanks
I think it’s just russett but I don’t know why it should show up on GD and I don’t know why it should have a pattern like that.
Leave it to me to baffle the experts.
This might be apple rust mite. They make weird shaped spots, unlike scab that is usually round.
2 Likes
It’s not serious. I’d eat that in a minute, maybe less. It’s actually a pretty attractive apple.
2 Likes
Pretty sure some of the older GD were known for having russet and a lot of decendants (e.g. goldrush) inhereted that trait. -actually Razor Russet is just a sport of GD iirc so definitely some russet genes in there.
I’m not 100% sure that’s what this is, but i agree it looks plenty edible and tasty to me.
3 Likes
My GD usally have some russeted fruits. This year mine are very russet, but I used too much oil surfactant for fireblight and sprayed on a cool evening to protect the bees. So it took a long time to dry.
They say ceratin sprays and a late frost can cause some russeting too.
It will eat just fine.
2 Likes
Kind of makes sense, it’s supposed to be of a older GD. Maybe it’s just going to russet. If so, i can live with that.
Thanks
I took a closer look at the golden delicious apple tree and took a few more pictures. I counted 26 apples on this tree, all of them are showing russeting to some degree or another. Nothing I can do about it, so it is what it is.
I don’t know the correct term but this tree a highly susceptible to cedar apple rust. It will consistently every season develop cedar apple rust. If i wouldnt have sprayed it, it wouldn’t have produced a single apple and probably would have dropped all it’s leafs. So thanks to all you all for leading me to a spray program that actually works.
I’ve grafted 4 more of this golden delicious onto m111 root stocks and have them place around as pollinators.
Also I battled cedar apple rust on this tree last year and got 5 ripe delicious apples with no russeting. So I already know they are tastey apples. The golden patches on the skin confused me.
Thanks everyone 
4 Likes