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I have an apple tree in my back garden that is over 60 years old. It fruits every year with lots of apples. Last summer the bark started to peel away from the trunk and branches although still produced fruit. I am concerned as to what to do with it, has it had it's day? or should I just leave well alone?
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Can you add a photo? -
It would be helpful to know your location.
Some pictures would be helpful.
It might be canker, but......
Peeling bark is often a sign of a tree that has suddenly started growing again after many years of little or no growth. Often a change in the weather or a change in the irrigation/feeding patterns your garden/plot or neighbours land. With the
I know of someone who had a huge, healthy and very beautiful apple tree estimated at 150 years old in their garden. Their new neighbours installed an irrigation system for their flower beds and the extensive tree roots found the water.
So the tree suddenly put on a big growth spurt, but, having been used to growing slowly, its branches were unable to cope with the sudden large extra weight of so many new shoots and leaves - so the moment some high winds arrived in autumn the tree was badly damaged by branches breaking off.
It is still alive, and still healthy......but after breaking so many branches it is no longer a beautiful looking tree..Comment
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Thanks FB, sounds just like the four 60+ year old apples trees I have in my back garden.
It was a mini orchard with more trees, at the end of the garden, but when we moved in you couldn't walk around it for brambles, weeds, overgrown low branches etc.
I have fed, watered and pruned the trees to harvest the fruit and I have noticed the bark peeling and falling off. Because they fruit so well, I ignored it.Comment
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What's left when the bark's gone? Bare shiny timber's not good.Comment
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