North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov]

My 3- 4 inch diameter oblique cordon apples have now shed most of their
leaves and I am viewing the sad results of last spring's fireblight
attack.

Despite my ongoing efforts to prune out affected wood all spring/summer,
I am seeing obvious lesions on the trunk of a few trees (3 of 11).
Luckily they are above the graft. Unfortunately, they are low on the
cordon - about 6-10 inches above the grafts.

All of the trees have a lateral branch below the lesions. Most are weak,
only pencil thick or so.

Am I better off pruning that thick trunk to just above these weak
laterals and trying to re-establish a leader, or am I just delaying the
inevitable and putting my other trees at risk?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Betsy Hilborn
7 (still) but surrounded by zone 8, NC