We suffered borer damage for two years year and the trees this year are really struggling. Have significant frost cracks and what i assume is the appearance of canker. As i evaluate our trees im not sure what to cut. The one tree pictured appears half leafless. Another has two branches with very very rough bark. Is this bark a symptom of canker or something else left untreated or is it something else? Suggestions on course of action?
I personally would take the tree out and plant another one.
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Where is the tree? CO? I’ve seen few threads where members in east coast USA claimed winter damage causing dead wood.
If it was my tree and I wanted to save it, I would baby it some more like…
- Remove the grass within (at least) 2 ft radius from the trunk
- Fertilize with some high N fertilizer
- Ensure sufficient water for growth
- Prevent pest damage where possible
- Give a dormant spray when tree goes dormant again
Personally, I would not prune this year if the tree is severely weak. But if wood is already dead where it didn’t leaf out, then you could have some imbalance to address later on.
Denver co. It got dormant spray, and it got liquid copper. Trunks painted with neem.
We didnt even have horrid winter or early/late frost. Very wet month of may. It had avg buds and then just didnt leaf (or flower). Things have been way behind in general here but now if you even lightly touch a bud it falls off.
I would hit it with high N, prune all the dead branches, and then try to stimulate new growth by pruning the living branches to an outward facing bud/branch
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