Topic: Bare Root Pear Tree Dying?

[smudger28]

I planted a pear tree before Christmas and pruned according to the instructions now it seems to have died.  The main stem has black marks on it and all the spars are black and brittle.

I have requested a replacement but I would like to know what happened to the original first.  I will try to get some pictures..

Cheers

Paul

[goodlife]

Oh dear..
It is very difficult to give you a reason/cause for the dying tree as there is so many reasons for it. We'll wait for the photos and that should give much better idea.
It could have something to do with the timing of the pruning... :-\..newly planted trees should not need stressing with chop straight away.. :-\ ..cut surfaces are like open wounds and can be invitation for all manner problems... :-\
Have you got many other fruit trees/ pears nearby?...any health issues with those?

[smudger28]

Hi Goodlife

I planted 2 apples (pruned them) they are fine in full bud...

2 Cheery trees (not pruned) in full bud

1 Victoria plum ( not pruned) in full bud

They are all in the same vicinity....

The pear tree had green leaves on it when planted but now it looks like a dead stick??

[goodlife]

Hmm..there is not much you can do about it other than play the 'waiting game'. Make sure the roots are firmed in and kept moist..and if my end of June there is not life in a 'stick'..then it is defianate 'gonna'.
Sometime newly planted trees can take a bit of 'huff' from the drastic treament they've gone through and show it by being really late for the new growth.
Don't be tempted to do any more pruning to remove even the 'dead' growth..just sit tight and see what happens.

[smudger28]

I have already paid for a replacement :'(

[goodlife]

I have already paid for a replacement :'(

Oh.. :-X Well..you can plant you 'replacement' into large pot for now..and then wait and see..if the old tree should decide there is some life in it..hopefully you have room for one more tree. If you do give a chance for your 'olden' and pot the new one...let it grow good root ball in the pot so when it comes to planting it, it is able to hold onto the compost/soil and the planting will be much 'gentle' experience for it. Pot grown plants can be planted any time of the year providing you can keep it well watered in its first year.
One can never have too many fruit trees!.. ;)

[smudger28]

Hi Goodlife here are some pics











Cheers

Paul

P.s. Liking the idea of another pear tree if this one survives..

[goodlife]

Right then..I can't quite tell from the photo if there is any particular disease or fungal infection involved..BUT..looking at your 'tree' it has had quite a drastic pruning done and I suspect it has caused something to 'upset' your tree. All the damaged areas seem to be around the old branch stumps..pruned areas.
There is no actual branches left from the main stem that would bear some growth buds. Your tree will have to break into new growth from the main stem and that will be slow process..but I do think it might make it.
If it does grow..you can 'tidy up' any dead branch stumps off back end of the summer/autumn...but leave any other pruning for the year, giving it a chance to get its 'strenght back' and and then start planning how to train and prune it for the shape you want to achieve.
When you get your new replacement tree..try not to prune it as yet..unless it has some damage bit that has happened in transport (tidy those off), leave tree be for a first season, let it get its 'feet' in and you might get it into a better start.. ;)

[goodlife]

Oh..another thing..
Looking at the soil around your tree..have you fed your tree yet?
If it would be my tree..I would sprinkle some BFB meal on around it..water it in and put good thick layer of mulch around it..garden compost would be ideal. If you do...try not to pile it against the tree trunk..some touching doesn't hurt but wet mulch butted against bark might be asking for further trouble.
This feeding and mulching is good way of pampering the tree back into health..and ssme treatment for the other trees would not hurt neither...getting them into strong growth early on will reap benefits later on.. ;)

[smudger28]

Hi Goodlife

I fed the tree when I planted it with BFB and mulched with compost.  The tree came like that really.  It was a tall straight tree with no other branches on it.  All I did was take a small cut off the top as per the guidelines.  I will feed and mulch it again to see what happens..

Thanks

Paul

[goodlife]

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The tree came like that really.   :o Really!?..Well then the nursery who sold it to you should have refunded you with the tree. I got one like that myself once..I rang the nursery immediately and gave them a good b****ing...totally  unexceptable! Thought its late now if you didn't say anything at the time when you received the tree..It might be worth it still to complain. They should still supply you a replacement as the consumer rights do cover the purchase of plants too and your tree was supplied in 'dormant state...bare rooted'..it should not have any green growth on it. It is totally reasonable to expect the tree to grow in spring..if it doesn't it is your right to get new one. The only problem is to prove their wrong doing when it is not reported in time.. :-\

Do you mind revealing where did you buy your tree from?

Nursery where I buy my trees mostly from have instructions in their cataloque..and I borrow few lines from it (Deacon's nursery)..."trees, when transplanted, need time re-establish and often diverse soil conditions can cause delays in new growth, so please do not assume the worst until 30th of June!"...... "Pears need more pruning later in life and less early on"

[boydzfish]

Lost a plum tree which just seemed to die over a couple of days, I cut it down last week and it seemed to be dry at the graft. It may be that I had the graft point a little too close to the ground but thought I had set it up right.

My pear tree snapped off at the graft point in the wind - not a great fan of grafted trees now :(

[goodlife]

I've never had any issues with crafted trees..all mine are crafted. Once I had problem with craft union coming separated again..but that was my fault for handling newly crafted tree too early.

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My pear tree snapped off at the graft point in the wind Did you not have your tree tied to the stake or was the tie bellow the craft?
My trees are always tied to supports for several years after planting and generally after that they are then left without support once the stakes rot/break down. Only those that are particularly heavy yielding I stake permanently.

[smudger28]

Hi Goodlife

Sorry I should have added a bit more to the statement "The tree came like that really".

The tree came as you see in the picture but it had some leaves on and was slightly taller.  There were no branches as stated before and the main stem was green in colour not black as it is now.

I bought it as part of an orchard package from garden bargains.com.  The other trees are thriving.  There is a 30 day money back guarantee and then they offer you a replacement for £5.99 which is the P&P.

They have replaced the tree but I haven't received it yet..

I really think the tree is dead but will leave it in until June.  Can I plant the new one in June?

Cheers

Paul

[goodlife]

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Can I plant the new one in June? you could..but..as you need to plant it in pot anyway, it would be better if you keep it growing in pot until it has grown really good rootball.
If you get it soon..you still have plant it somewhere..in June it only just starting to 'wake up' and start new root growth..disturbing it that point will just upset it again when it only just starting to open its leaves...if you damage those few new roots that it has managed to grow..it will not able to provide for the green growth, so it goes into 'sulk' straight away'.
For my opinion it you were to wait and let the tree to start growing new roots and delay the planting to much later on..it has much better starting point for new life with all those new roots that are able to start providing food and water for the leaves that are there.

The tree have to grow under the soil first before it is able to support growth above the soil!

[strawberry1]

Have you scraped the bark with a finger nail? If it is green then it still alive, if brown then it is dead

[smudger28]

Thanks Goodlife I will keep it in a pot until it's time to plant in the ground.

@Strawberry - I will try that tomorrow.

Thanks guys

Paul

[smudger28]

Well I scratched away a bit of bark, and a bit more & a bit more.....  The tree is dead :'(

This was about 15 inches from ground level.

[smudger28]

Another dead tree today :'(

I thought I would check the Victoria Plum tree as there does not seem to be any signs of life....  The stem is brittle and brown  :'(

I have emailed Garden bargains and basically complained that I don't mind paying £5.99 for the pear tree but why should I pay another £5.99 for the plum.  That's 2 out of 5 trees....  The apples & cherry are fine...

I will keep you updated.

[strawberry1]

There are lots of bad reviews about garden bargains. Don`t throw good money after bad. If you paid with a credit card then ask your bank to do a chargeback. You will need to ask GB for a refund and keep all your e mails and written records of phone conversations. I took this same route with chris bowyers and eventually got my refund but it took persistance

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews249951.html