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["Mark or Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

This spring I planted a "Williams Pride" on M-7 and made a mistake.  I
wanted a standard sized tree and planted the graft union below grade.  I had
hoped to get by planting it extra deep so the roots from the scion would be
well anchored.  Now the tree is drowning from all the rain we've had.  It
started wilting in the hot sun(I assume because most of the roots are dead),
so I shaded it, which has helped some, but I have no idea if the tree will
survive.  My concern is if I leave the tree, is it likely to get a good
innoculum of crown/collar rot started?  (I've read that stuff is fairly hard
to get rid of, once established)  I have a similar situation with a couple
of pear benchgrafts planted this spring in a spot with poor drainage (They
started to wilt and I shaded them also.)  Any ideas?

Mark Angermayer
Zone 5 Kansas