To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] Fireblight lesions on trunk
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:57:40 -0500
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