partially dead trees

[myredbarn]

I recently bought a home in CA with fruit trees and because of the drought many of the trees look dead. Some trees have green suckers growing at the bottom but the rest of the tree seems dead. Will these trees recover? If so, are there any tips on helping them survive? I also have trees that some branches look dead. Should I cut off the dead looking parts? Suggestions welcome. Thanks!

 

[Smart Red]

Welcome to TEG, @myredbarn. Glad you found us and hope you find a home here with us.

I have no experience with California or its trees. Someone here will be able to help. I just wanted to greet you.

 

[digitS']

Well, that is too bad. Sorry.

I don't know much about dead trees but it sure looks like the drought has killed some around here ...

If you start out at the tips, don't you think you should recognize dead/living wood? Work your way into the trunk ...

Soon it will be time to prune fruit trees, perhaps just taking off crossed branches and such would be good enough until next spring when you can really know what comes back.

Steve
just my 2Ȼ

 

[so lucky]

Generally, many fruit trees are grafted. Not always, I suppose. You may get the sucker to live, but there is no guarantee it will be what the original planter was aiming for. Probably the right fruit, but maybe a less desirable variety if it is growing from the rootstock. If you don't have any thing in particular in mind for that spot, you could leave it and see what happens. As for the other trees that look dead, pruning when other people prune their fruit trees would be a good idea.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome, glad you found us.

Some of us went through a severe drought a few years back. I can still see some dead trees from that out my front window. I don't like drought.

What kinds of fruit trees and do you have an idea how old they are? Age probably isn't that important but the kind could be. Many fruit trees are grafted because you can't grow them from seed and get the same variety. Some can be grown from seed so knowing what kind can help. If they are grafted and the sprouts are from below the graft they are from the rootstock like So Lucky said, not the variety planted. Often that rootstock makes pretty horrible fruit but it grows vigorously and imparts certain characteristics, maybe disease protection. Some rootstocks will make them dwarf or semi-dwarf. A couple of decades back when I lived outside new Orleans I had a lime tree die back in a freeze and resprout from the rootstock. I liked those limes better than the grafted variety. They were bigger, juicier, and thin-skinned. That was pure luck. They could have been horrible.

If the sprout is from above the graft line or if that tree was grown from seed, then the tree will have the desired properties. Those graft lines are easier to see on younger trees.

You should be able to contact your county extension agent and get location specific recommendations. If the tree looks dead and there are sprouts coming from the base, it is probably dead and will not recover. Whether it is worth trying to grow a new tree from a sprout is a tree by tree decision. In most cases I'd think not, the root systems are probably damaged too. But if it is something like a fig or mulberry, I'd probably go for it. Your county extension agent should be able to give you more help than I can.

 

[secuono]

I would break the tips of the main branches to see if they are still green or dry and dead.
You can keep snapping branches down a few inches at a time to find the living growth.
If it's still soft and green, it should be able to recover with regular water.

 

[catjac1975]

I recently bought a home in CA with fruit trees and because of the drought many of the trees look dead. Some trees have green suckers growing at the bottom but the rest of the tree seems dead. Will these trees recover? If so, are there any tips on helping them survive? I also have trees that some branches look dead. Should I cut off the dead looking parts? Suggestions welcome. Thanks!

No California experience. But, most fruit trees are grafted. There fore what is growing is probably from the root stock. That would be an inferior tree with great roots. I would concentrate on the trees that look better -trim all dead wood and thin the branches. They say you can cut off 1/3 of the branches a year for thinning. You can find a lot of places on line that a will show you what a good tree looking like. I would set up rain barrels from your roof for future irrigation or try to put in a well if it is allowed and affordable. It will rain again.

 

[baymule]

What everybody else said. You have received good advice. Sorry about your trees, drought is so sad. In 2011, we had a terrible drought with beautiful old oaks and pines dying. Grass and pasture will recover in a season or two, but watching 50 to 100 year old trees turn brown, wither and die just hurt something deep inside me. I hope you find some life in your trees.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

depending on the fruit trees you had growing might tell you what those suckers could be. if they were apples your rootstock could have been either crabapples if they were dwarf or semi-dwarf, if fuller in size trees probably a full sized rootstock apple was used. if you had pears it could be either another type of pear or quince. for peaches it could be a type of plum, almond or apricot they used for rootstock.

if you let the suckers continue to grow out some you'll have new rootstock to graft at a later date. if they keep growing into a full sized tree you can still learn to graft them. i learned to do grafting a few years ago with some success with bought rootstock & scions.

 

[Nyboy]

Can you post photos of suckers?