Best Approach for Replacing an Old Tree
 

My old apple tree’s got some rotten branches and a tree surgeon told
me it's probably only got a couple of years left. It's at the end of
my garden, on clay soil and gets partial sunshine. In replacing it I
want to minimise the hole in the tree-line at the end of my garden as
much as reasonably possible.

I’m looking at what replace it with (today’s fave is the Paperbark
Maple). The new one doesn’t have to go exactly where the old one was,
so I was thinking of planting it a metre or so away and then slowly
trimming the apple tree back over the next couple of years before
cutting it down completely. This would give the new one room to
expand, while minimising the loss of greenery in my garden .

I don’t know much about tree planting, so was wondering if this is a
sensible plan or would it stifle the new tree?

Michael

Best Approach for Replacing an Old Tree
 

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My old apple tree’s got some rotten branches and a tree surgeon told
me it's probably only got a couple of years left. It's at the end of
my garden, on clay soil and gets partial sunshine. In replacing it I
want to minimise the hole in the tree-line at the end of my garden as
much as reasonably possible.

I’m looking at what replace it with (today’s fave is the Paperbark
Maple). The new one doesn’t have to go exactly where the old one was,
so I was thinking of planting it a metre or so away and then slowly
trimming the apple tree back over the next couple of years before
cutting it down completely. This would give the new one room to
expand, while minimising the loss of greenery in my garden .

I don’t know much about tree planting, so was wondering if this is a
sensible plan or would it stifle the new tree?

Unless the apple tree is diseased with something like canker, I'd trim
off the dead wood and see what happens - apple trees are notoriously
tenacious of life.

I know of several trees which have blown right over, and despite having
around a quarter of their roots left in the soil, were bearing good
crops two years later.

Just paint over the cut ends with a suitable wax. I use the wax that
cheeses are covered in - it's durable and pliable.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

Best Approach for Replacing an Old Tree
 

Rusty_Hinge writes

Unless the apple tree is diseased with something like canker, I'd trim
off the dead wood and see what happens - apple trees are notoriously
tenacious of life.

I know of several trees which have blown right over, and despite having
around a quarter of their roots left in the soil, were bearing good
crops two years later.

Just paint over the cut ends with a suitable wax. I use the wax that
cheeses are covered in - it's durable and pliable.

Agreed. Our elderly Bramley was blown over in the 1987 storm. We assumed
it was a goner, and it was blocking the whole width of our very small
garden, so we trimmed off all the branches. We never got around to
dealing with the now-horizontal trunk, and next spring it produced
masses of new shoots.
--
Kay

Best Approach for Replacing an Old Tree
 

On 23/2/09 18:19, in article , "K"
wrote:

Rusty_Hinge writes

Unless the apple tree is diseased with something like canker, I'd trim
off the dead wood and see what happens - apple trees are notoriously
tenacious of life.

I know of several trees which have blown right over, and despite having
around a quarter of their roots left in the soil, were bearing good
crops two years later.

Just paint over the cut ends with a suitable wax. I use the wax that
cheeses are covered in - it's durable and pliable.

Agreed. Our elderly Bramley was blown over in the 1987 storm. We assumed
it was a goner, and it was blocking the whole width of our very small
garden, so we trimmed off all the branches. We never got around to
dealing with the now-horizontal trunk, and next spring it produced
masses of new shoots.


Apple trees can go on for a long, long time. Think of all those old cider
orchards etc. still around. I'm not convinced a few rotten branches mean
the tree is condemned and I'd get another opinion. I think Kay and Rusty
are right. If the worst comes to the worst, you could think of retaining
the stump of the tree and growing something like a rose or Clematis up it.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

Best Approach for Replacing an Old Tree