On 27 May 2003 14:44:59 GMT, (Iris Cohen) wrote:

we had to re prune to lower what ought to be a new "y" as the tree got
pretty damaged... the whole thing is pretty young, only 5-6 years,

You never want a y shaped fork on a tree. This is weak & will break in a storm.
Always prune so there is one main trunk & the branches are at right angles.

there is now aphids and the leaves look a little sick, I am assuming that
the tree got stressed and is not happy.

Feed it. You can get fertilizer sticks that you pound into the ground. Spray
for the aphids.

Why do you suggest fertilizing (not "feeding")? This is only useful
if there is a nutrient deficiency (identifiable by soil testing) and
could cause more problems if there is a surplus of any given element.
If there is a deficiency, it would not have any effect on the presence
of ants or aphids.

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html