Ask AlysGardening advice This article is more than 10 years old

Ask Alys: your gardening questions answered

This article is more than 10 years oldWhy are the older branches on my 15-year-old cherry tree bare?

Last year, the leaves on my 15-year-old dwarf cherry tree crisped up. I put it down to late frost. This year the tree had leaves and blossom only on new branches, leaving the older branches bare. What should I do?
Your tree may have got cherry leaf scorch or leaf spot. Leaf scorch causes leaves to shrivel and turn brown, yet remain on the tree, often into winter. Leaf spot causes leaves to become yellow and mottled, and drop prematurely. There's little you can do about these fungal diseases other than collect up the leaves and destroy them, to stop the fungal spores persisting into the next year.

Certain varieties such as Prunus 'Kanzan' are reputed to be less susceptible. However, last year was so wet that it may just have been sulking (cherries don't like wet feet).

More to the point, your cherry is an old lady. Cherry trees are not long-lived, usually reaching 15 to 25 years old. She has earned that gnarled look and brought you many years of flowers. If you decide her time is up, don't feel bad; it is part of the cycle. Just don't tell her it's because she looks ugly.

Got a question for Alys? Email askalys@theguardian.com

Explore more on these topics

• Gardening advice
• Ask Alys
• Gardens
• features

ShareReuse this content

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaKSZm7KiusOsq7KklWR%2FcX2SaKqeqF9mgXCt0qRkmqSpqHqktMSrqbJlpKeypg%3D%3D