I have a question and a comment. My Q's is about my fruit trees . They have likens (sp) growing on the truncks of them. It seems that this is not a good thing scince the bark is starting to peel away under them . I would perfer an organic way to be rid of them but will take what I can get. Now for the oppinion part. I love this magazine and forum for that matter. I am by most standerds a young countrysider. We have been subsribing scince 1995. My dad bought me the first year and it is the only magazine I find worth paying for. I buy no other. I tried Organic Gardner for a year but it was too "yuppie" for me. This year we decided to pass on our little gold mine (like it was given to us.) To some very dear freinds. And thats all a gott to say about that. :) Becky

-- Becky (Joel681@webtv.net), December 09, 2000

Answers

Becky-I'll have to give it some thought but it would seem to be some associated problem,with the lichens being a secondary invader.What are the trees.Apple? Pear? Are they in good health or is there dieback? Knots or cankers?

Here we have a bad fireblight problem on apple & pear and it is controled with an antiobiotic,streptomyacin

We also have blackknot on plums and cherries,and now I have to look up control bc I have forgotten.It's sulfer or copper,but not sure which or if either.Also you prune out infected branches,sterilizing pruner in bleach after each cut.

I have a sheet put out by our extension service that listsfruit tree disease controls,including organic alternatives.I can hunt it up and scan to email if it isn't too long. Or copy it and send it to you, if you want.

Agree on O.G. being too yuppie,it used to be great,more like countryside.Now is fluffy science and "Garden Beautiful"

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 09, 2000.

I have used parafin to seal lacerations on my trees. This may help yours. try removing them and then sealing the bark laceration with warm pliable parafin wax. As far as O.G. goes, I bought a box of them at the library (1980s into mid 1990s), went to buy a current issue also. I'll stick to the old O.G.s and my Countryside.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 09, 2000.

The trees are mostly peach trees. I have 4 apple, 4 peach(did have 8) and 3 paw paw. 4 peach trees have died since we moved back. Joel said those trees were there as far back as he remembers--1960

-- Becky (Joel681@webtv.net), December 10, 2000.

Becky -if they are peach they could be just reaching their life expendency.They have a shorter life than apples as a whole.

My parents planted alot of fruit trees back in the fifties and sixties,and they have lost some,esp. the peaches. Some others still look good, esp the apples and pears.

I'd recommend grafting some scion- this years growth- onto new root stock to get a new tree started for the future.Bearcreek Nusery has rootstock,and I think peach is available,It's a really inexpensive way to get new trees.Grafting's not difficult as long as you keep roots & everything moist and follow the instructions.we finally got around to learning how to do this a few years ago and have been planting trees all over,since.

You graft in late winter early spring.We do it abt early March.That gives you some time to get your information and rootstock

Another thread just a few days ago had a website posted for grafting info.Check it out.Hope this helps.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 10, 2000.

Check with your County Extension Agent. Yes, I know, they are main stream, and yes they are a government agency, BUT they know their stuff about local conditons, climates, soils, pests, crops, etc. Our extension service puts on a yearly workshop geared to the small landowner/stockowner dealing problems from keeping your records to keeping your barnyard. You've already paid for them by paying your taxes, so you might as well use the resource. You might be surprised at how savey your local people are.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), December 14, 2000.

Hi Becky, What looks like lichens might actually be scale insects. To me (not an expert) they look alike. I spray with a dormant oil spray any time up until the leaves are beginning to sprout. Cover the trees with the spray and if they are scale it will help a lot. No matter what the brand name, it's still called "dormant oil spray".

-- Peg (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), December 15, 2000.