What's Wrong With My Apple Tree?

crosstownk

I bought and planted an apple tree 3 years ago. It bore apples the first two years but none this year. Now I kinda put that down to the warm spell in March followed by the cold spell in April and the lack of bees I've seen this year. It's a solitary tree and so relies on insects to pollinate.

However, closer inspection revealed a sort of rot/disease in the trunk. See the photo. Any ideas what this is and what can I do (if anything) to rectify it or is the tree doomed? Foliage is still growing but doesn't look the best and lots of shoots appeared below the section of trunk in the photo. Very little new growth has appeared above this.

Any suggestions/advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

Ophiopogon

Could be canker and from it's position it's not great news for a young tree.

Terrible year for apples all the same.

crosstownk

Ophiopogon wrote: »

Could be canker and from it's position it's not great news for a young tree.

Terrible year for apples all the same.

Yep. I think you're right.

I'll treat it with Bordeaux Mix and see what happens come Spring.

Mo60

crosstownk wrote: »

Yep. I think you're right.

I'll treat it with Bordeaux Mix and see what happens come Spring.

I had the same problem with 2 new apple trees, canker on the main stem, in the last couple of years. No success with any treatments I tried, so ended up digging up and replacing.

crosstownk

Mo60 wrote: »

I had the same problem with 2 new apple trees, canker on the main stem, in the last couple of years. No success with any treatments I tried, so ended up digging up and replacing.

That's the most likely prognosis but I'll give treatment a try first. The fact that it's in the main stem and practically 100% around doesn't bode well

TheBody

As said above, it's a terrible year for apples and plumbs too for that matter. I've no fruit on any of my trees. Had a bumper crop last year.