FRUIT TREE DYING?
It takes effort to establish a fruit tree. There’s the planting, watering and feeding (and the hoping and dreaming!), so it can be devastating if it gets sick. Here are some problems that commonly lead to poor health and dieback.
Too dry If a fruit tree is growing in poor soil that either doesn’t hold moisture, or is exposed to long periods of drought without supplementary watering, it will suffer from extreme stress. Wilting is the first sign, followed quickly by discolouration of leaves, leaf drop and dieback of stems and branches. Compost, mulch and, of course, watering are the keys to reviving your fruit tree, and you may also need a wetting agent to help the water soak in. Too wet Overwatering, excessive rainfall and poor drainage all lead to root rot.
When fine feeder roots suffer, the plant can’t take up moisture, resulting in similar symptoms to a tree affected by drought stress. Always choose a well-drained spot, and create a mound of compost-enriched soil to bolster free drainage.
Wind Regular exposure to strong winds increases the rate of moisture loss from the soil and plant leaves. Strong winds also physically damage branches and may lift trees and damage roots. Trees in this state are always in repair mode and never really get going. Plant in a protected site, or establish windbreaks.
Poor nutrition Most fruit trees need fertile soil to flower and produce good crops year after year. They will always suffer in soils that are nutrient-poor, with stunted growth, pale and yellowing foliage, dieback at the tips, small fruit, and premature leaf, flower and fruit drop. Add lots of compost to the root zone and apply slow-release organic fertiliser once every couple of months. Overfeeding Adding too much fertiliser, particularly salt-based synthetic ones, can cause rapid burning or browning of leaves, starting from the tips. Make regular, light applications, or use gentle organic fertiliser. Pests A healthy tree will generally fight them off, but sick or stressed trees have little defence. An invasion of sap-sucking mealy bug or scale insects, leaf-chewing grasshoppers or caterpillars, or trunkburrowing borer can be fatal. Help improve tree health by maintaining even moisture and nutrition levels, and act early on pests to avoid population explosions.
Problems in your patch? Write to Phil at experts@gardeningaustralia.com.au