Forum home› Problem solving

Can this tree be saved?

isy315isy315 Posts: 11
in Problem solving

I have just moved house and have inherited this tree. I think it's an apple (the neighbour's said, and the leaves do look like it) but never seen anything quite like it. Has it perhaps been cut back to the base and grown up again from water shoots? I hate the thought of removing a tree, but could this be salvaged, or is it better to start again? 



«1

Posts

  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 1,456
    From the leaves it looks more like a silver birch to me. I would leave it alone for the next 12 months, see what it does, see if you want to keep it, if it happens to be loaded with apples, and then decide what to do with it. Never believe new neighbours, they might have their own interests at heart.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Scariff, County Clare, IrelandPosts: 7,562
    Hmmm... I'm thinking it could be an apple, but probably grown from a pip, or a number of pips planted close together.  The rate of growth and the fact that I can't see a graft near the bottom, suggests it's on its own roots; if I'm right, this means it will take several years (maybe 8-10) to bear any fruit, and will grow enormous...

    What does @pansyface think?  She's very good on fruit trees.   :)
    "The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life."  Rabindranath Tagore
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 32,356
    I'm with [email protected], I think it's either grown from a pip, or the " top " has died and the rootstock has taken over
    Devon.
  • catrina.alistairrE10E4slcatrina.alistairrE10E4sl Posts: 31
    isy315 said:

    I have just moved house and have inherited this tree. I think it's an apple (the neighbour's said, and the leaves do look like it) but never seen anything quite like it. Has it perhaps been cut back to the base and grown up again from water shoots? I hate the thought of removing a tree, but could this be salvaged, or is it better to start again? 




  • catrina.alistairrE10E4slcatrina.alistairrE10E4sl Posts: 31
    I would just leave one trunk and start forming over again
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 47,145
    That really wouldn't work @catrina.alistairrE10E4sl  :/
    The advice/comments  from @Liriodendron and @Hostafan1 are good. It looks like it's just been hacked back and has thrown up water shoots. It certainly doesn't look like a grafted tree, which is the norm when buying fruit trees. 

    That's never going to be very bonny, but not much can be done about it. Possibly better to start with a new tree, and prune correctly.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • catrina.alistairrE10E4slcatrina.alistairrE10E4sl Posts: 31
    Fairygirl said:
    That really wouldn't work @catrina.alistairrE10E4sl  :/
    The advice/comments  from @Liriodendron and @Hostafan1 are good. It looks like it's just been hacked back and has thrown up water shoots. It certainly doesn't look like a grafted tree, which is the norm when buying fruit trees. 

    That's never going to be very bonny, but not much can be done about it. Possibly better to start with a new tree, and prune correctly.  :)

  • catrina.alistairrE10E4slcatrina.alistairrE10E4sl Posts: 31
    Yes you are right. It will already be a wild plant. But for beauty and shade, it can be saved. And for the harvest you need to plant something else
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 20,522
    No need to quote every post @catrina.alistairrE10E4sl

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 47,145
    I doubt that would ever be considered a 'beauty'   :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


Sign In or Register to comment.