Topic: Whats affecting my apple trees?

[thomasb]

I planted 2 apple trees just over 18 months ago. They were 2/3 year old trees that I bought at my local garden centre. On both trees I have noticed a number of the branches appearing to die back. This includes the main or central stem on one of the trees.  The branches that are appearing to die back have cracked bark around the branch and looks to be dying/drying out from this damage to the end of the branch.  The following picture shows such a branch. If you look carefully to the branch in the centre of the picture you can (just) make out what I am talking about.


Any ideas on what is affecting my trees?
Should I cut these branches back below the damage?

Thanks,
Thomas

[Mrs Ava]

Canker maybe.  No idea on treatment or what to do....I shall google....

[Mrs Ava]

hmmm...well.  All I could find was HDRA suggesting all stems with canker be removed.  We need an apple tree expert!

[Mrs Ava]

Update!  Go to www.kenmuir.co.uk, click on Ask Ken, then under Kens clinic, select apples.  From there you will see a list of alsorts of problems, including canker, and what to do with them, and piccies! Good luck Thomas.

[Merry Tiller]

Yes, looks like canker to me too

[Palustris]

If you have not pruned the trees since buying them, then the problem can only have occurred at the suppliers. I would be very much inclined to go back to your G/C and complain.
Canker gets into the tree through lessions, caused by damage to the bark as in pruning etc.
If you do (and you should) prune back to healthy wood (the middle of the branch has a stain in it where it is infected and is clean and white/yellow where clear), then dip your pruning tools in a bleach solution before going on to pruning any other apple trees. Also may be worth painting over the pruning cuts with  Arborex Wound Paint (just a wax solution which stops anything getting in to the cut until the bark grows over it).
Best  of luck with it.