Apple tree

i have an apple tree at the bottom of my garden. It has been there for a few months, but the tips of each shoot and branch is fraying. I've cut the ends off to find that they are dead, but nearer the trunk they are alive. I've put manure around the base to increase the amount of nutrients around it, but is this whats causing the tips to die, or is it some kind of pest?!
any help would be appreciated!

 

Fraying, nat?
Is it growing? Can you post a picture.

 

sorry! cant post a pic, but yes fraying!
the bark on the tips of the branches look like they've been picked off. The tree is still alive, but where the ends are fraying is actually dead.

 

Haven't got much of a clue what that could be nat. Is something perhaps attacking it.? Squirrels maybe, or pidgeons, or woodworm, or dryrot, I dunno its sounds a bit strange.

 

Maybe its a scared apple tree. You know, frayed. :D

 

i dont think anything's attacking it. it's still a very young tree, and there would be no support for any animals to pick at the ends. It's the fact that the tips are dying which is worrying me most. I'm not sure if the tree will actually survive.

 

It dont sound good, where did you get it, if it was from a nursery they might have some ideas.
Could be some kind of die back which it might grow out of I suppose. Was it planted last year?

 

yes it was planted quite late last year. It's not a bad idea to go back to the nursery. We've cut off the ends until we find some part of the branch that is still alive. hopefully this should help

 

Did it possibly make some late growth last year, (due to the fact it was planted late in the season), which didn't ripen and consequently has died and now looks a bit frayed around the edges.
If so it'ill probably grow out of it.