Fireblight update 2016

[WTNUT]

For those of you who don't know, I had to cut back 12 or so mature trees (trunks 10 inches in diameter) due to Fireblight. I removed all cankers form the orchard that were on other trees and sprayed twice with copper and oil. I just finished all but two of the grafts. The centers of some trees and perhaps 1/4 of a side of the tree were dark brown when I cut the trunk to get ready to graft. I BELIEVE that was from FB damage, but need an expert to enlighten me. I think the trees will do fine because nearly all have sprouted new growth since I topped them. I
OBVIOUSLY removed all that during the grafting. If anyone thinks these trees will not make it, or if you know of anything further I should do Pleaes let me know. Otherwise, I will keep you posted.

 

[NY_Terrence]

Thank you for keeping us posted. I have about 14 macs planted in 2008 that had fireblight the past two years. I top-worked two last year just to see if I could do it. Had success with both, so going to do the others this year. Converting to Enterprise, Goldrush, Liberty, Kerr, Swamp (a wild tree growing near a swamp on our property) and Honeygold. I think all are FB resistant with the exception of Honeygold. Crossing fingers for that one.

 

[Native Hunter]

Apples that have never had FB for me, despite others nearby that did have problems:

Priscilla
Black Limbertwig
Striped June
Betsy Deaton
Liberty (just a tad of FB)

 

[WTNUT]

Well here is an additional update:

This is a Fuji that was next to the worse outbreak last year. It had some shepherds hook shoots. I trimmed it back during the outbreak. Then durning winter I cut out the cankers and applied copper the black Treekote. It seems to be doing fine so far.

 

[WTNUT]

This one is a Freedom that I cut way back - topped off the central leader and cut laterals way back. It too was in the eye of the storm and had several shoot blight spots last year that were removed but by spring ther were significant cankers above where I topped the tree. I dropped about 24 inches and topped it in Feb. So far it seems to be doing well. I have a liberty next to it that I cut back but not as severely. It has come back best and has some apples.

 

[WTNUT]

The only problem I have had is with my original FB pear. I tried to graft it. The grafts came out but eventually died off. Not sure what caused it.

 

[WTNUT]

I will add one more thought that is bugging me. My younger trees recovered so well I wonder what would have happened had I not cut the mature trees that were cut. For example, I have Bradford Pear trees at home (ornamental) that had FB worse than any tree I saw last year. I did NOTHING to them, and they look great this year. Even after asking that question, I still believe that had I not removed the worse offenders it would have been a total loss. First, when I cut a few inches from those trees this year to get fresh wood to graft to there was evidence of significant damage to the trunks. I do believe it would have went to the roots and killed them. Worse yet, there is NO way you could have removed every canker from those mature 118 stock trees. So my advise is to "save the patient" if you have a really bad outbreak. Over all I saved my orchard and grafted some great varieties on to the old trees thanks to some of you.