Dying Apple Tree

jwill1776

5 year old buck +
This Fireside was bought as a potted tree and planted 4 years ago. This year is has some CAR, within the last three weeks its leafs have gone from green to yellow to brown. Pulled back the screeing around the trunk and found the bark near the graft to be weak as it pulls off very easily. Also noticed on several of the smaller branches it looks like some thing chewed off the bark. Five other apple trees in the area are all growing fine, we have had a good growing season here.

Any ideas what may cause this? Is this tree a complete goner?

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The damage on the limbs is from grasshoppers or cicadas. Is the trunk significantly larger above the graft union? Picture kind of makes it look that way.
 
The damage on the limbs is from grasshoppers or cicadas. Is the trunk significantly larger above the graft union? Picture kind of makes it look that way.

Below the graft diameter is 2.25”, at the graft almost 3.5”, couple inches above the graft is 2.25”. I think the camera angle made it look a little funny.
 
Looks like to me there is something going on at the graft union, possibly affecting the trees health. Maybe Maya will chime in or send him a PM.
 
Looks like it was girdled. In the future staple the window screen tight to the tree top and bottom. The staples will pop open as the tree diameter grows. It takes a while for them to die. It's toast. DSCN0961.JPG
 
I had screening on it as seen in the first pic, its possible something snuck under the screen.
 
I had screening on it as seen in the first pic, its possible something snuck under the screen.
That's my point, you can see a hole at the top of the screen, staple it tight up against the trunk. Don't make a tube out of it, just fold it flat around the tree and staple top, side, and bottom so nothing can get in. Then pull tight to the ground.
 
I'll be trying staples as well this year, burying the screen in the pea gravel doesn't cut it.
 
Just to confirm, you staple the screen right to the tree? With a regular office stapler? Should the screen be cut bigger, so it's still big enough as it grows?
 
Thnks that makes sense now
 
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