Topic: apple tree lead poisoning?

[richardglobal]

Last autumn I staked an old Discovery apple tree with a long steel bar. Unfortunately it was covered with a lead sheath (and I just wasn't thinking! :-[). Although the tree had been very well and producing lots of fruit in previous years, this year it tried to produce blossom, gave up half way through and is now leafless and looking sad. I've managed to dig down and remove the lead but can't remove the bar as it's in too deep (the lead had ridden up the bar as I hammered it in). Can I now wait for resumption of normal service next year, or have I ruined the tree permanently? Would replacement of all the soil round it help? Or is there another cause for this problem? Can't find any information about this anywhere else but I'm sure someone can offer advice. Many, many thanks in advance.

[pigeonseed]

Hi richardglobal - well I don't know whether apple trees could suffer from being staked with lead, but personally I'd look at other more common reasons for the problem you describe first.

It started producing blossom, but you say you feel this dropped early, and the tree didn't produce fruit. This year we had very late frosts, a very cold winter and very cold spring. It was ages before it warmed up.

So I imagine your apple blossom could have dropped off because of the cold. And ot could have deterred insects which would have pollinated it as well perhaps?

It sounds like you should probably leave the steel bar, to offer the tree support this winter, and hope we have an early and mild spring next year! Fingers crossed.

[richardglobal]

Thanks, pigeonseed. Winter was indeed long but though I'd love this to be true I'm not sure that it's the answer. I'm in west Cumbria, near the coast, and we didn't have the really vicious conditions of some more central areas. The blossom formed but didn't open and nothing's happened since - no leaves, just a bare tree. I've also got an old Bramley and 5 young apple trees and they're all doing very well.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Take the lead out and see if it makes any difference. I wouldn't have thought so, but you never know.

[pigeonseed]

I see, sorry I didn't realise it didn't get leaves either.

Well I had just the same thing happen to my cherry tree this year - the buds came but never opened and now it's looking very dried up.

I hope your apple tree perks up next year. Discovery are lovely apples. And what to do if it doesn't? Without knowing what happened, you can't replant an apple in the same place...  :(

[richardglobal]

Thanks, especially pigeonseed. I'll replace the earth and hope for the best next year.

[goodlife]

I really do not believe the lead is issue as in past lead was widely used in planters and even as liner for water features with fish in it!!!
There is so many reasons that can/could kill/damage mature tree that it is difficult to quess the possible reason...it could be even the bar that you inserted that damaged the root system and that allowed some fungal/desease pathogens to enter into the system. I have some old lead piping used in lottie and never have I had problems with them...if your tree doesn't have any new growth on now..well I think is done..
But..if you can wait couple of years..or even just one and grow something else on the place....adding plenty of compost etc..I would plant new tree after that..that's if you do not have alternative place..soil change is not going to do much good...just add lots of goodness and give the soil time to recover ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Could the soil be waterlogged? My plot suffers from winter waterlogging and it definitely affects my tree fruit.

[Vinlander]

Lead as metal is almost harmless - unless it corrodes - which it rarely does (or it wouldn't be used for roofing).

Even lead pipes are only dangerous if you have soft water, because hard water leaves a protective layer of limescale.

The real danger is lead compounds (which are effectively corroded lead).

Even lead compounds aren't very mobile in the soil.

The commonest mobile use for these is octane improvers in petrol until recently and in paints dating pre-1950s (mostly) - so be very careful about importing painted timber into your growing area - if the paint is many layers then don't - especially if any of the layers is a creamy white/yellow. Don't bury it, don't burn it, don't let it flake onto the soil.

Sometimes lead paint doesn't flake because there is a layer of modern plastic paint on top.

Interesting reading from the Uni of Minnesota about how to accept or remedy lead pollution :-

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2543.html