Friday, September 06, 2013

Edible Juicy Fruit Tree

 
When we bought our house the previous owners planted a peach tree.  For years now it's been producing peaches come late Summer, see above from this season.  However, the tree has some sort of a bacterial canker to which sadly there is no cure.
 
This bacterial canker produces a jelly-like ooze that seeps from tree/limbs.  This problem existed from day one but back then the ooze was limited to a couple spots.  The first couple of years, and before I realized there is no cure for this canker, I sprayed the tree each Spring before the blooms in the hope of eliminating it.
 
Today, the ooze has spread and is throughout the tree, yet it's still fighting on and producing fruit.  The fruit however is hurting also. Very few are edible, as they're spotted, rot on the limbs and/or contain the ooze themselves.  The rabbits love them just the same and eagerly look forward to getting them.  Frustratingly, the woodchucks love them too and they venture out of their safety zone to dine.
 
Since there is no cure the tree really needs to come down.  I'm postponing this task because this is the tree we hang our winter bird feeders from and it's where the birds perch and rest when waiting their turn or working up the courage to grab a bite.  Taking this dude down will then leave the birds with no comfort zone, alas...

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