Tree Issue

[StClone]

You appear to have a stressed tree due mostly to rapid temperature (freeze/thaw) changes and maybe some soil moisture challenges.

If you water your yard all summer many trees do not develop a strong root system. They don't have to as moisture is readily there in conjunction with regular lawn fertilizing, which also fertilizes the tree. Once irrigation is discontinued in the fall the tree can come to have problems, especially in a dry winter, to keep roots moist.

I don't see any insect or fungal issues, and the woodpecker holes are from a transient species ( Sphyrapicus varius ) usually gone by May and of little concern.

Was there bark litter under the tree? If so woodpeckers or climbing Opossums and Raccoons might incidentally be knocking off loose bark, but unlikely.

There is something going on. I'd let it go until another issue appears .ie. no flowers, falling/stunted/yellowish leaves, or dying branches. If those appear enjoy the delicious apple wood for BBQ.

 

[StClone]

Looking back over the images, is this tree between 15 and 20 years old? Did you plant it? Over the years I have come to find many trees are planted too deeply and do okay for the most part. However, for some reason when they get in the that age range they go Phzzzzt and are out for the count.

 

[NWICY]

Looking back over the images, is this tree between 15 and 20 years old? Did you plant it? Over the years I have come to find many trees are planted too deeply and do okay for the most part. However, for some reason when they get in the that age range they go Phzzzzt and are out for the count.

Planting to deeply is a common problem in trees? How deep should they be planted? TIA

 

[StClone]

Planting to deeply is a common problem in trees? How deep should they be planted? TIA

I will offer a quick Link for you: https://www.recordherald.com/opinion/37381/planting-too-deep-can-kill-your-tree

 

[t-noah]

We’ve got a crabapple in the front yard that is losing its bark on the main portions of the trunk and branches. Any suggestions?

Earl May basically said if there are holes, they can do something and if there isn’t, it’s probably a fungus and they cannot. The dude didn’t really look at the pictures I showed him though.

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Probably infected with a terminal fungus. Those things don't live forever. Seems like I read somewhere once that if it's one that was originally grafted to the roots of an apple tree, about 30 years is the life expectancy.

We cut out two of these because of the fungus, which is also hell on the grass nearby.

My agronomist said if bare wood under where the bark has slipped off and an old tree, it is dying. From the pictures, even if it is a fungus or insects I think it is too late for that old of a tree to turn things around.

I'm no expert but am learning a bit the hard way about planting apple trees close to red cedar. Probably not it in your case but something to be aware of, the cedar-apple (and crabapple) rust.

4 Really Effective Ways to Get Rid of Cedar-Apple Rust

Cedar-apple rust is a disease which is caused by a fungus belonging to the genus Gymnosporangium. It commonly affects apple and crabapple trees. Gardenerdy lists out a few effective ways to get rid of cedar-apple rust.

gardenerdy.com

 

[Fishhead]

Holes were caused by yellow bellied sapsuckers. Telltale sign is the holes almost in a straight line

 

[AgronAlum]

Looking back over the images, is this tree between 15 and 20 years old? Did you plant it? Over the years I have come to find many trees are planted too deeply and do okay for the most part. However, for some reason when they get in the that age range they go Phzzzzt and are out for the count.

We’ve only been here for 4 years or so and obviously the tree is older than that. I have no idea how old though. It is possible that the tree is 15-20 years old because our house is around 25.

 

[BCClone]

Time to move and let the next person deal with it.

joking aside, remember most trees are planted when they are 5-8 years old. I don’t know many people who planted seeds for trees. So the tree is probably 4-5 years older than the house.

 

[JeanValette]

Planting to deeply is a common problem in trees? How deep should they be planted? TIA

Extremely common in landscapes, and probably one of the most important things you have to get right when planting. Frost cracking tends to increase with planting too deeply as well. When parts of the trunk that should be above the ground are interacting with soil, it can decompose the outer layers of the plant and cause a bunch of issues.

Since planting too deeply doesn't cause problems until way later (generally), a lot of folks are surprised. Long story short, you want to see the root flare, if it looks like a telephone pole, it is too deep.