"cliff_the_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
Des
Apples are a member of the rose family and planting in the same place
causes a condition known as replant disease, as I think you have a
sneeking suspicion of

Thanks for all tat information Clifford. I do not know which variety
(inherited when we bought house 2.5 years ago).
It is still just about pretty enough to merit its place and teh birds like
it so it is not a priority to remove it yet. We are planting some new
birches and rowans shortly (arrived bare rooted last week) and the same
company have a long list of Apples, inclucing some Irish ones as well as
lots of cherries and plums (same replant disease problem as apple I realise)
so that prompted the question.

Des


.
If you want to replant in the same position then you have two choices:-
1. Dig out the area occupied by the roots and replace the soil with
fresh non rose soil
or
2. Dig a good sized hole ( but not as big as 1,) and put in a bix
ccardboard box or line it with cardboard, creating a large cardboard
box. The ideal box is like those that fridges come in, good heavy
corrugated cardboard. Fill it with fresh soil and plant your tree into
it. The cardboard will rot and by the time the tree breaks through,
the soil will have refrehed it self.
Replant disease isn't actually a disease, more a condition, what
actually causes it, isn't really known. However giving the soil a
couple of years rest, before planting another rosaceae seems to work.
There does appear to be something in the soil that affects the trees
and the cardboard seems to act as a barrier to stop the migration of
this.

I would also advise that you are likely to suffer from canker again.
If it is fungal canker, if your tree has it, there will be pleanty of
other trees in the neighbourhood that will have it.

Canker is easily identifiable at this time of year as looking at the
branhes, you will see that the bark has blown off the wood on part of
the branches, causing knarled leisions. After flowering, ends of the
branches die back (hence blossom end wilt, another name for canker)

You say the tree is knackered, how big is it and do you know what kind
of apple it is?
The reason is to fold. First, if it is on a semi vigourous / vigourous
root stock (M111 / M25) you may have some life in it yet. Equally, if
it is on a dwarfing root stock , has been pruned and fed (! 4oz growmor
/ sq yard at this time of year) and you are getting new growth, then it
still has vigour left in it.

I have seen trees in a knarled state, which with pruning and
application of Bordeaux mixture made into a paste painted onto the
wounds come back into productive service.
A tree of that age is imposing and it will take time to recover that
grandure.

There will be those who will say that its got a disease, rip it out,
it's not going to be productive. I would try, because it can be worth
it.

I have seen cankered, knarled apple trees removed because it has
disease and doesnt produce fruit. Then no tree is replanted. This
bemuses me because what is a better sight that a fruit tree in blossom.
A good enough reason for planting an apple in my book!

What ever you do, good luck

Clifford
Doncaster, South Yorkshire