Christina Websell wrote:


"Dave Hill" wrote in message

... On 31 July, 19:09, Dave Hill
wrote:
On 31 July, 18:55, "Christina Websell"





wrote:
"Donnie" wrote in message

...

Right, we chopped back the apple tree which had gone mad through
lack of pruning for about 5 years, so earlier this year it got
severely pruned back from having a 15 foot diameter spread to,
well, basically to the trunk as near as damn it. Why? because we
had some work needed doing including a large new workshop / shed
etc but that's by the by.

So, over the last few months it's basically growing again lots
of twigs and leaves but we have a couple of problems with
it that I have noticed today.

1. where one of the larger diameter branches was cut (about 3
inches diameter) there is a strange white fluff / lichen /
something like in the picture



http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...dbobs/gw02.jpg

Anyone know what this is and if there's a treatment if necessary?

2. There's loads of green bugs, I'm assuming aphids of some
variety like in the following 2 pics


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...andbobs/gw04.j
pg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...dbobs/gw03.jpg

Again, what can I do about them, I don't care if i have to use
pesticides if necessary but I guess I would rather not due to my
chickens / dog / kids

I don't think it's relevant but there's also quite a lot of ants
up and down the tree as there's a bit of an ants nest in
the compost bin nearby.

I have also noticed quite a few of these too which I believe
will help keep the aphids down too.


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...dbobs/gw05.jpg

--

Far too severe, IMO. You just cannot cut an apple tree back to the
trunk. who told you to do this, or was this your own idea?
:-(
I would be surprised if it doesn't die.
Tina- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Lets look at your problems first.
I. Woolly aphid
2. Aphids

The ants are almost certainly milking the aphids so will protect
then to some extent from predators.
I would spray the whole tree with a good insecticide.
When you have cleaned up the pests then select the shoots you want
to grow on to get your tree back into some sort of shape, remove the
rest.
I very much doubt if the tree will die.
I've known people doing what you have done and cutting back all
branches to a couple of feet then grafting in other varieties of
apple onto the cut branches.
My old Dr in Hastings, many years ago had over 30 varieties on one
tree, and it cropped each year.
David Hill- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I should have added
Why not yse it as a support for a climbing rose whilst it is growing
back, should look good.
David Hill

I hope you are right, David.
I don't mind being proved wrong, in fact I hope so. I think the tree
will die. It's diseased already.

I sincerely doubt it will die and Im not sure that the tree itself is
diseased, these are pests its not like the woods rotting etc.

Dave thanks for the advice, I may well think about the rose idea too :-)

--
Donnie