split limbs

I've noticed today that my apple and plum trees are suffering too - half the leaves do not look healthy and a small number of the fruit are rotten, both leaves and fruit have brown stains. The fruit trees are approx 15 ft away from the palm and 20 ft from the ceanothus. The garden has many matured pine and a few palms that, at present, remain unaffected.
The photos (on the same site) aren't the clearest, I'll try again over the weekend.

 

I've seen odd stems of shrubs crack in a similar manner to your ceonothus. I have not found it to be particully long lived plant myself. I've got a dead one in the garden now that needs digging out.
As for the cordyline, I'm not sure but I dont think that crack at the base is all that unusual, but why it should die is strange, does the crack ooze any liquid?
The apples I would have thought have a disease of their own, usually specific to that particular tree type.

[ 11. August 2006, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: pete ]

 

have discussed with outlaws today (read inlaws) and they tell me the fruit problem is to do with the long dry spell we've had and codling moths - deep joy!
Still haven't a clue re the splitting limbs. The ceanothus is 10 yrs old - Pete, is that old for a ceanothus?
The crack at the base of the palm is dry - no oozing liquids.
Could this all be down to the very dry spell we've experienced this year?

 

Well, to me its stange that a cordyline should die just like that, and I dont think that crack would kill it unless something really nasty was going on inside. Drought isn't usually a problem to them.
Is it possible that the crack in the ceonothus formed after that branch died? I've not kept one past ten years, but then maybe I'm unlucky, I think some varieties may be shorter lived than others.
Definitly think the dry weather hasn't helped the fruit this year.

 

Thanks Pete. I agree, dry weather is prob to blame for stained fruit and codling moth hasn't helped (how can I prevent a re-infestation next year?)
it is poss that the ceanothus cracked shortly after dying, only noticed it once the leaves had died back.
The cordyline has a sister tree on the other side of the ceanothus which, at present, remains unaffected. I have included a photo at my msn group address, the 2nd palm is just out of sight on the right of "ceanothus & palm".
thanks v much for info to date - what a great site.

 

For codling moth you can get those pheramone traps that catch the males and stop them mating, ie. no maggots or at least thats the principal.
One other thought, regarding the other plants, could it be honey fungus?

 

Pete, what is honey fungus?

 

Honey fungus is a soil bourne disease, I've not really come across it myself but others on the forum have.
It shows its self as honey coloured toadstools at certain times of the year, if you dig around the roots of infected plants there are black bootlace type strands in the soil.
Give it a google, its only a possibility

 

I truely hope you haven't got honey fungus, stuff of nightmares !!! :(

 

PETE,bm. its not the kind you get on your lawn, is it? i HAVE TOAD STOOLS ON MY NEW LAWN, DO YOU THINK ITS HONEYFUNGUS? :D

 

I wouldn't have thought so Fancy. Honey fungus lives in dead and decaying roots, tree stumps and other woody items in the soil.

If you want to know more these are good places to start.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1100/honey_fungus.asp

http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/dc19.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_fungus

BM

 

THANKS BM. FOR THE USEFULL INFO