Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Is this tree dead?
- Thread starter Tin Pot
- Start date
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jefmcg
Guru
Thanks to trending threads on cc, even if it's dead, it still has uses:
Chain a bicycle to it or make a bicycle out of it.
Chain a bicycle to it or make a bicycle out of it.
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Looks to me as though while it’s alive it’s last legs.
If you prune hard as suggested you’re likely to only encourage strong, sappy growth (I know these as water shoots) which will not flower or therefore fruit.
If you want to try pruning clean out any obviously deadwood, clear the centre to allow the bottom five branches to form an open goblet shape. Clear out any crossing higher growth and shorten remaining to a reasonable height.
Personally I’d cut my losses and dig it out. This would take two year’s pruning and negotiating with SWMBO.
Years ago my elderly neighbour next door ask me to cut down her old apple tree, I cut the top branches off standing on a pair of steps and just left the main trunk which was about 6' high, Climbed down, lit a fag whilst leaning on the the trunk and wallop! both fell over with crack. The bottom of the tree was riddled with bloody woodlice.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
That's true,but you can roll it in glitter to make it shine.
classic33
Leg End Member
OP
OP
Tin Pot
Guru
Whys that?
OP
OP
Tin Pot
Guru
I'm hacking down the bits of their trees that are overhanging - frankly they look dead too. Maybe you're on to something.
The knobbly bits on the third picture on the top row look like canker. This is a fungal infection that will eat through the branch and eventually cause it to drop off. The damage at the bottom looks pretty serious and I would guess is likely to finish the tree off. If you don't have any other trees and you don't intend having any more you could see what it does over the summer but it doesn't look as though it has a long term future. Now that Miss Goodbody has been retired I feel safe in recommending you prepare to get your chopper out. 
classic33
Leg End Member
And the others if still there?
OP
OP
Tin Pot
Guru
I discovered that my neighbours huge overhanging tree is also pretty much dead, the cover of several metric tons of ivy had masked the fact. If it is a fungal thing I think all the trees around have had it for ages.
I removed some of the neighbours overhanging branches last year but I can’t reach the heavier ones yet.
