Diagnosing Tree Problems: Think Like a Detective

When a Yoshino cherry's bark disappears at ground level and sap bubbles, consider every angle:

• Animals? Beavers chew trunks; voles stay near ground.
• Mechanical? String trimmers/mowers hitting trunk.
• Borers? Sawdust in sap = trunk borers; loose bark plates = bark borers.
• Planted too deep? #1 suspect for cherries/plums/peaches. B&B trees often have flare roots buried. Clay soil + deep planting = bark rot.
• Disease? Bacterial canker common on Prunus. Acid soil increases susceptibility.

Action Plan

Raise soil pH fast with hydrated lime (1 lb/inch trunk diameter in 5 gal water, drenched under drip line). Follow with garden lime. Test pH in a few years—target 6.0–7.0. If tree dies, replacement benefits from the lime.

Holistic diagnosis beats guessing. Consider all angles.