Why did my apple tree die?

[theatremachine]

I have an apple tree that I a planted as a sapling about 8 years ago. It's always been a brilliant fruiter, although only fruited every two years.

It cropped very heavily last year - but this year appears to be totally dead. It got a few fuzzy leaf buds and a couple of green furled leaves - but these have died off now too.

My other apple tree is in full blossom so it's not just late.

The only thing that happened this year (other than usual pruning) is the very top branch got snapped in some high winds (probably about 8 inches). We lopped it off as it was hanging at an angle.

What on earth has happened and is there any hope for next year?

Two possibilities, fungal disease or graft failure. If the graft has failed, in due course it will put up shoots from the rootstock. These won’t be the same as the apple you’ve been growing.

is the main stem still alive? If you lift off a tiny sliver of bark, is it still green underneath?

The year before last was probably the killer, but trees take a long time to die, and last year's heavy crop would have been its last-ditch attempt to reproduce before the end. You might be lucky with it, but I suggest that if it does survive and produce flowers next year, you cut them all off to preserve its strength, and to direct energy into vegetative growth.

Yes - death is often immediately preceded by a stunning flower or fruit display.

Gah! It's not looking good then. What is graft failure? I haven't attempted to graft anything.

The stem is still green - but the tree seems to be dying from the ends towards the trunk, if that makes sense.

I'm guessing there's nothing I can do to help - maybe give it until next spring?

It’s an apple tree, you said. Commercial apple trees are sold grafted on to a rootstock - the rootstock governs the eventual size of the tree.

If you grew it yourself from a pip or a cutting, it won’t be grafted.

Thanks - yes, it's a commercially-bought (from a nursery) dwarf Laxton Superb.