[Sair]

My cherry tree has been rapidly declining ever since the weather got warm, and is oozing sap from places where the tree had branches cut from a very long time ago. A few branches have died and some others look sickly.

 

[Idlewild]

This looks like bacterial canker, can be a common issue on stressed cherry trees.
Not sure what part of the country you’re in, but environmental stresses (drought) etc… can
also speed up or exaggerate the decline.

 

[Trees Too]

Gummosis....

Sticky Situations on Cherry Trees

Have you noticed any gum oozing from cherry tree branches and trunks? It's called gummosis, a sign that your cherry tree is under some sort of stress. That's right, trees can get stressed!

hortnews.extension.iastate.edu

 

[The Green One]

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My cherry tree has been rapidly declining ever since the weather got warm, and is oozing sap from places where the tree had branches cut from a very long time ago. A few branches have died and some others look sickly.

What State is the tree located? Can you take a Photo of the "Critical Root Zone" and post also?

Thanks.

 

[Sair]

What State is the tree located? Can you take a Photo of the "Critical Root Zone" and post also?

Thanks.

Hi, I live in Northern Nevada, so in the high desert. And would that be taking a picture of the ground surrounding the tree, or digging to see the roots?

 

[The Green One]

Hi, I live in Northern Nevada, so in the high desert. And would that be taking a picture of the ground surrounding the tree, or digging to see the roots?

Hello Sair,

A picture of the ground under the dripline of the Cherry tree. This is also the Critical Root Zone, generally speaking. No digging for the photo.

Critical Root Zone - Technical Recommendation from Urban Forestry Services, Inc. (urbanforestnursery.com)

 

[Sair]

Hello Sair,

A picture of the ground under the dripline of the Cherry tree. This is also the Critical Root Zone, generally speaking. No digging for the photo.

Critical Root Zone - Technical Recommendation from Urban Forestry Services, Inc. (urbanforestnursery.com)

Thanks for the response! Here are some pictures of the ground around the base of the tree.

 

[The Green One]

Thanks for the response! Here are some pictures of the ground around the base of the tree.

Good Photos!

Here is a link to watch: Root Collar Excavation - YouTube

In wetter years, it becomes more of an issue with Cherry planted too deeply, dealing with the stress/poor respiration, and more issues Like Bacterial Canker and Gummosis become more obvious.

Do you have a good Certified Arborist in your area that you could hire, and make a plan to do a Root Collar Excavation/Air Spading and proper mulching thereafter, as well as other treatments to improve the Vigor of your Valuable Tree?

 

[phasthound]

Good Photos!

Here is a link to watch: Root Collar Excavation - YouTube

In wetter years, it becomes more of an issue with Cherry planted too deeply, dealing with the stress/poor respiration, and more issues Like Bacterial Canker and Gummosis become more obvious.

Do you have a good Certified Arborist in your area that you could hire, and make a plan to do a Root Collar Excavation/Air Spading and proper mulching thereafter, as well as other treatments to improve the Vigor of your Valuable Tree?

Great information Green One! It's unfortunate how many trees are planted and mulched incorrectly. We've saved many trees with an air spade.

 

[Sair]

Good Photos!

Here is a link to watch: Root Collar Excavation - YouTube

In wetter years, it becomes more of an issue with Cherry planted too deeply, dealing with the stress/poor respiration, and more issues Like Bacterial Canker and Gummosis become more obvious.

Do you have a good Certified Arborist in your area that you could hire, and make a plan to do a Root Collar Excavation/Air Spading and proper mulching thereafter, as well as other treatments to improve the Vigor of your Valuable Tree?

Thanks so much for all the help, I can’t hire anyone to come out sadly. There aren’t very many arborists around here, and the cost of those who are is more than I can afford. I did try to help expose the roots myself though. I’m not sure whether it’s enough or not though.

 

[The Green One]

Thanks so much for all the help, I can’t hire anyone to come out sadly. There aren’t very many arborists around here, and the cost of those who are is more than I can afford. I did try to help expose the roots myself though. I’m not sure whether it’s enough or not though. View attachment 515036
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Dear Sair,

I understand.

The wounding you caused as you removed some of the soil, are entry areas for pathogens, until they can heal themselves with Woundwood/Callus.

I suggest a thin 1-2 bark mulch in a 3 foot radius asap. Be sure the mulch does NOT touch the trunk....I use the width of my hand as a guide for NO GO MULCH.

Buy the mentioned RELIANT product for Insurance.

Be sure to spray the Trunk from 4 foot above the ground, down to the soil line with a mix of 60% water and 40% "potassium phosphite". (Reliant)

You can buy a gallon of Reliant concentrate from Tree Stuff .com. A quart of the finished spray (12 oz reliant/20 oz water) in a pump sprayer, and wet the trunk down on a dry day will help give some protection against Phytophthora (Bleeding Canker).

This water mold CAN become active on Cherry when soils exceed 59F and on wet rainy periods when soils are at field capacity, OR poorly draining.

My GIFT to the tree.

Good Luck.

 

[Sair]

Thanks so much for all View attachment 515036
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the help, I can’t hire anyone to come out sadly. There aren’t very many arborists around here, and the cost of those who are is more than I can afford. I did try to help expose the roots myself though. I’m not sure whether it’s enough or not though.

Dear Sair,

I understand.

The wounding you caused as you removed some of the soil, are entry areas for pathogens, until they can heal themselves with Woundwood/Callus.

I suggest a thin 1-2 bark mulch in a 3 foot radius asap. Be sure the mulch does NOT touch the trunk....I use the width of my hand as a guide for NO GO MULCH.

Buy the mentioned RELIANT product for Insurance.

Be sure to spray the Trunk from 4 foot above the ground, down to the soil line with a mix of 60% water and 40% "potassium phosphite". (Reliant)

You can buy a gallon of Reliant concentrate from Tree Stuff .com. A quart of the finished spray (12 oz reliant/20 oz water) in a pump sprayer, and wet the trunk down on a dry day will help give some protection against Phytophthora (Bleeding Canker).

This water mold CAN become active on Cherry when soils exceed 59F and on wet rainy periods when soils are at field capacity, OR poorly draining.

My GIFT to the tree.

Good Luck.

Thank you again, for the help! I'll get to work on this and see how things go. I've ordered some Reliant and already have a spray bottle for it. By 1-2 bark mulch, do you mean the size of the bark? Also what would you suggest for watering the tree in future? I especially worry because the roots were so deep, the tree is in a sort of trench-basin now.

 

[The Green One]

2 inch layer of double or triple ground hardwood mulch. The concave shape is fine, where you removed the soil. After mulching the concave shape should remain....like a bowl. It's all about OXYGEN, not aesthetics. (like incorrect Volcano mulching for example)

The new, as you call basin will allow more Oxygen and allow the Root Collar to dry.

After big rain events the soil will percolate/drain. IF it had not, the tree would have died long ago.

Don't water the tree unless you are in a very dry period (no rain for 2 weeks or longer) NEVER use a Tree watering bag.

 

[Sair]

Will do! Rain tends to happen very infrequently here, sometimes it can be months before it rains. Usually I put the hose on a low trickle and leave near the tree, not at the trunk, and let the water trickle for an hour or so, once or twice a month. Except in the cooler weather or winter, then I don't water it and rely on the rain/snow.

Another question I had was, I can't seem to find the root flare on one side of the tree, I found it on the other, is it possible that's the only place the roots flare? Sorry for so many questions!

 

[The Green One]

Will do! Rain tends to happen very infrequently here, sometimes it can be months before it rains. Usually I put the hose on a low trickle and leave near the tree, not at the trunk, and let the water trickle for an hour or so, once or twice a month. Except in the cooler weather or winter, then I don't water it and rely on the rain/snow.

Another question I had was, I can't seem to find the root flare on one side of the tree, I found it on the other, is it possible that's the only place the roots flare? Sorry for so many questions!

That works regarding water.

Where there is no trunk flare could be a girdling root issue. This was why I mentioned in the beginning about hiring a Certified Arborist. The good ones know how to handle this. Since it is not in your Budget, just do the best you can with the other things mentioned. Don't try to fix the non-flare side any further, as you will likely do more harm than good.

Post some pics in August 2022 so we can have a look.