Can I plant a tree now to replace my dying peach tree?

14 years ago

Hi everyone. I haven't been on in awhile, I hope you all are great. Can you guys believe it's August already? I hope you all have been having a fabulous summer so far.

My Problem:

This spring we had to remove and replace a few trees. The trunks looked like they were covered in black mold and fuzzy scale bugs. If you pinched the fuzzy looking scale bugs they would bleed. So last year I purchased tons of lady bugs and the scales disappeared but came back this spring. So we removed them. Now the peach tree leaves have all turned yellow from the veins outward. The bark is covered in sap. I think it's a goner. I don't know if it's dying from the same problem or not. It's about 7 years old. It was one of those fruit cocktail trees that I purchased from a online company. Only the peach grafts worked. Last year we did get a ton of peaches. This year we barely got any leaves, no flowers or fruit, so I want to remove it. Is it to late to plant anything this year? I'd love to replace with another fruit tree but now am scared of it getting the same disease or pest. I can't use pesticide as my neighbor raises honey bees and I'm scared to death of pesticides. Would love to hear any and all advice.

Jilly Billy

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Comments (7)

jillybillyg
Original Author
14 years ago
BTW... I am in Longmont, CO
david52 Zone 6
14 years ago
It's not too late to plant, but the problem might be finding something to plant.
The only thing you'll find will be potted - and the selection picked over - but you might get a deal.

Make sure you water it in well, and a couple times over the winter.
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treebarb Z5 Denver
14 years ago
Did you remove the scale or the tree? Can you post a picture of the tree with a close up of the scale? What kind of trees did you loose and how old were they? If you have multiple trees with the same issue I would want to id the problem before replanting with more fruit trees since it sounds like whatever it is is spreading. The good news is that once the weather starts to cool in the next few weeks a lot of nurseries will be having fall sales. Watch out for potbound roots. If possible look at the roots before you buy and stay away from any tree with long roots circling around the bottom of the pot. Good luck!
treebarb Z5 Denver
14 years ago
Note to self, don't send posts in the wee hours without spell check. What kind of trees did you lose, not loose?
irisgirl
14 years ago
I would check w/ the folks at The Tree Farm on Highway 52, 5 miles west of I-25 - just south of Longmont. Their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. And like treebarb said, it is getting on to the end of the season, so lots of their stuff will be BOGO or 50% off soon. I'd wait til mid-September to actually plant tho.

Rainbow Nursery @287 & Hwy 52 also has a lot of stock, but Tree Farm is better by far, IMHO.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Tree Farm
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
Is it to[o] late to plant anything this year? I'd love to replace with another fruit tree but now am scared of it getting the same disease or pest.

It's not too late now, it is too hot. Wait 3-4-5 more weeks. AS for replacing with another fruit tree, I wouldn't until you get the pests under control. If you don't, you'll have the same issue.

Dan
milehighgirl
14 years ago
What you describe sounds like wooley aphid. I had my first experience with them this year, probably because I didn't dormant spray last winter. I found lady bugs don't seem to like them! I ended up painting very carefully with lime and sulfur spray and that seems to have gotten rid of them. I think doing it when trees are dormant would be better.

Here are some links I found:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e453woollyaphid.html

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/services/collections/scientific-illustrations/zeck/wooley-aphid

Here is a link that might be useful: Wooley aphid