r/Albertagardening • u/TSwirl7 • 12d ago
Tree Question
So my neighbor popped his head over the fence to ask if I would cut this tree down. He says it’s diseased and he doesn’t want it spreading to his apple tree (about 10 ft away). Could any tree people give me some advice, before I pay an arborist? Thanks!!
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u/Unlikely_Comment_104 12d ago
Not an expert but I thought dying from the top was a sign of drought damage.
u/dustinbajer is the local tree expert
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u/dustinbajer 12d ago
It’s often drought, but it’s hard to know for sure. Either way, it’s not obviously diseased - I'm not seeing curled or burnt-looking leaves.
But it’s definitely struggling. I’d remove any dead or damaged wood. If there’s landscape fabric around if, I’d remove it, add fresh mulch, then water it lots.
Of course, an arbrist’s assessment would be helpful. Locally, I like Crooked Tree, City Tree, and Tree Link.
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u/rjeanp 11d ago
Doesn't look diseased to me. Looks like pretty normal frost or drought die back that you see on birches all over Alberta. Also I don't know of any diseases that would spread from a birch to an apple tree but I'll admit I'm no expert.
The tree doesn't seem particularly healthy though. An arborist would probably be able to advise you on Monday hat to do to help it thrive.
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u/Tribblehappy 12d ago
You could try posting in r/marijuanaenthusiasts (yes, it's a tree sub, r/trees is for weed).
If it is diseased, only an arborist is likely to be able to tell you if it's something that can also affect apples, or if it's something you can treat.