Japanese Cherry Blossom-disease/pest or too thick to know what to do?

Hello Everyone,


I have a terrible looking problem with this on my Cherry Blossom














this is a two cuttings I have taken if it helps






What is it? I know nothing about tree care. Is it a disease or have I done something incredibly wrong to it. I have given it a good dose of tomato feed hoping to at least boost its immune thingymijig.

All advice very gratefully welcome

 

copper sulphate spray fingy?

 

Obviously I am too thick to know what to do-are you asking have I used it, or advising me to use it or asking me which feed I have given?

 

Just occured to me it might be better to post bigger pics

 

Cherries are prone to a number of diseases including bacterial canker
The best treatment is to cut off infected shoots and spray with a copper fungicide (Murphys trasditional copper fungicide is what I use ... contains copper oxycloride or something)
Mind you ... I am no expert when it comes to plant problems :(

 

Thanks so much, I am off to get some now.

And if the garden on that website is yours, then you are very much mistaken my friend, you are an expert

 

Hi Lollipop73,

The leaves are showing signs of shothole, caused by bacterial canker which is common and widespread. It is a very disfiguring and sometimes fatal disease.

At this stage the damage has already been done. The bacteria that causes the canker will have lived on the surface of the leaves for a while and spread through the crown. In autumn the bacteria may infect the bark through natural or man-made cracks and fissures, leading to bark & cambium failure.

You could remove the affected wood, but as the damage has already been done this would offer no solution. Infection does not often spread after the first year. If you wish to retain the tree you will be looking at carrying out regular and sometimes heavy pruning, which should be carried out in June/July when the sap will quickly cover any open wounds. Alternatively you can remove the tree and replant.

I hope this helps, although it's probaly not the answer you were looking for.

Kind regads,
Matthew

 

Thanks Matt,

Oh well, I was actually coming to that opinion myself, but it was not the news I most hoped to get from you.

And now It was planted underneath a cherry tree-remember the one that I said wasn`t looking well, and well................the leaves look the same-nowhere near as bad, but its there nonmetheless, and I have to tell you if it has to go it will be an enormous blow to me.

I will pop some pics on in a bit when I find my adapter. I suppose Cardiff is too far away from here for you to come and fix it. I can`t egt a good shot of the whole tree but will post what I have.


Thanks Chuck.

 

Hi Again,


Here are those pictures









Doesn`t look good does it?


But, just as I turned back to go in I saw this




I intend to take it as an omen

 

I had this problem with a Prunus Serrula two years ago.
I removed the affected wood and sprayed as I mentioned before
It cured the problem
Unfortunately the tree no longer looks like anything .... the pruning had to be heavy and it has affected the whole balance of the plant
Maybe Matthew is right ... better to remove the tree? Whether you decide to replant is a matter for yourself though

 

Thanks Sam,

I have lifted the tree and replanted in a large planter so I can treat it without affecting other plants. I pruned it back to what now looks like a trunk, every branch was affected, I sprayed as the directions instructed, and will not throw it away, but persevere. I would imagine it will recover, and eventually come true again.

I am a bit of a rescuer anyway, and I do have a knack (its only the perfectly healthy ones I manage to wreak havoc on ), so this is what I will do.


Its a bit like if your dog loses a leg, do you take it to the vet or shoot it?


I`ll fix it.


The big cherry should recover fine but I have all my fingers and toes crossed.


Thank you so much for taking the time to help me, I really appreciate it.

 

My pleasure
Maybe you should consider planting a beautiful Japanese maple instead of another Cherry tree. Better safe than sorry

 

Hi Sam,

I know I should avoid them-I was warned when I bought it, but I had just seen some photos of a large park in Japan which was beautiful. I imagined that is what heaven looked like. And this little buddy was my tiny piece of it. I am always torn right in two about my garden-English woodland glade or Ancient Japanese hillside. Both equally tranquil and soothing to the soul I think.

I will still try to save my little chum, even if he is a lumpy, scarred and difficult bu88er he is my bu88er and I am afraid I am a silly old fool and have grown attached to him. I am going to scour the internet and see if I can find or adapt ways of protecting him and any friends I might get for him. The gentle Japanese cherry blossom and the stately, protective English Oak are the two most perfect trees in the world-in my own opinion. Even though there is always the possibilty of distress in the future, perhaps even likelihood of it, I won`t give it up.

I`m a silly sentimental old fool.