Two fruit trees die at the same time

[matthanna]

Hi gardeners,

I have a problem where an apricot tree and a peacherine tree have both failed in a most terrible fashion. The trees live 3 meters apart, and are quite large, around 2.5 meters each. At christmas time (6/7 weeks ago), the trees were full and plush, very stable and happy trees, since then they've dropped all their leaves and died.

I will not post a picture as I am very unhappy and quite ashamed.

I've since chopped the trees to sizable stumps, dug out soil and replaced the topsoil, and am now in a state of revival. There's not much to lose now with these trees, which is sad. I've once before in a similar situation where a different peacherine had white ants, where I took a similar approach about 18 months back.. it's now a stunning beautiful tree, and next season I'll be expecting fruit.

I've been trying to work why this has happened. The only thing I've come up with could be this... We have a massive lemon tree not far from these 2 trees. It's seriously big, and everyday can happily drop 50 or more lemons. We pick up most lemons and throw them away, but there are some lemons that are missed and rot in that area where those 2 trees are.

Is it possible that those rotting lemons which didnt get picked up, contributed to killing those 2 other trees? Honestly, there's nothing else I can think of.

I've tested the acidity of the soil where the 2 trees are. It tested quite neutral at 6.6.

Any advice or thoughts are well appreciated. Thank you!

Regards,
Matt

 

[Beth_B]

I can't imagine how fallen fruit would kill those trees. If you do have pictures I encourage you to share them!

Did you notice any changes prior to their demise? Has your weather been unusual for the season?

 

[matthanna]

Nothing unusual really which was why I had thought it might have been the rotting lemons. Happy trees dying out of the blue is such an odd thing, and I do take a lot of care, so a little concerned.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Chuck]

The chemical which citrus produces is called Delimonene. It acts as a degreaser and will not harm the soil unless in massive amounts. If we had progressive pictures we could probably tell you what happened. A full grown tree that is healthy and is dead in 2 months is something that is not normal in any way. I know this sounds like a stupid question but how do you know the tree was dead?

 

[matthanna]

There was a couple of really heavy rains in the middle of summer... but apart from that they were well looked after, and happy

 

[Beth_B]

Well I'm not an expert on citrus trees given my climate. I've had (at a previous house) pear and apple trees that were probably decades old, and we left much of the fallen fruit to rot and the trees were perfectly healthy.

I'd listen to Chuck, he is awfully knowledgeable. I'm thinking there's something you missed, though. Some sort of fungus?

 

[matthanna]

Hi Chuck,

Most the trees were entirely dry, brittle and lifeless. I cut them back to stumps ensuring I got all of the dead wood out. It feels as though these trees were poisoned, i feel in some way they have been, as they started turning exactly the same time by dropping their leaves very quickly. They're not due to drop their leaves for about 3 more months, but the drying and shrinking branches have been causing me a lot of worry.

At first I thought this was a root or whiteant problem, as I had previously had a different peacherine affected by ants. But this is not the case.

If rotting lemons can't affect trees in this way, I'm lost with it, and need to refocus on getting them started from stump again.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[matthanna]

Thank you Beth and Chuck.. Maybe I should take a sample of my soil somewhere where a better and complete analysis can be done. After the basic pH test didn't come up as overly acidic, I was surprised.

 

[Chuck]

Thank you Beth and Chuck.. Maybe I should take a sample of my soil somewhere where a better and complete analysis can be done. After the basic pH test didn't come up as overly acidic, I was surprised.

When trees are poisoned with a herbicide most of the time the leaves turn dry and brittle but do not fall off of the tree until the roots of the tree are dead and then they fall off. Normally when a tree looses all of its leaves is a very short period of time it is a localized issue such as climatic change, over fertilizing or some other drastic change. It is when the dead leaves stay on the tree that one normally has to worry. But you say this all happened within 2 months, the leaves drying, turning brown and brittle and falling off. Did you scrape any of the bark off of the trunk and limbs to see if there was any green? This sounds like someone sprayed your trees with a tree and brush herbicide. Is it possible that the county or city sprayed the ditches and the residue washed down to your trees?

 

[matthanna]

Hi Chuck,

It's quite unlikely that it was sprayed by council or neighbours or affected by run off given it's location in the garden and access issues.

Adelaide has has the strangest summer ever, filled with hot and cold flushes, and flash flooding which is uncommon for the middle of summer where it's normally high 30's and 40's.

When I was cutting the tree back, the branches had no green, and I kept lowering the cut until I got to where it was alive. Unfortunately that level was when they became a single stump about 3 foot tall. Interestingly though, I have another apricot and peacherine in a different location that were unaffected and thriving (the apricot is much bigger and older however but the peacherine had previously been turned into a stump due to an ant issue).

There are chickens within about 10 feet of the first tree, but we ensure they don't poo anywhere near anything. I will try and and get photo.

Thanks a lot for your help

Matt

 

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck,

It's quite unlikely that it was sprayed by council or neighbours or affected by run off given it's location in the garden and access issues.

Adelaide has has the strangest summer ever, filled with hot and cold flushes, and flash flooding which is uncommon for the middle of summer where it's normally high 30's and 40's.

When I was cutting the tree back, the branches had no green, and I kept lowering the cut until I got to where it was alive. Unfortunately that level was when they became a single stump about 3 foot tall. Interestingly though, I have another apricot and peacherine in a different location that were unaffected and thriving (the apricot is much bigger and older however but the peacherine had previously been turned into a stump due to an ant issue).

There are chickens within about 10 feet of the first tree, but we ensure they don't poo anywhere near anything. I will try and and get photo.

Thanks a lot for your help

Matt

This is just too bad. I guess the only answer was Mother Nature playing another of her tricks.