Took out three cherrys with ick - can i plant in the same hole?

14 years ago

Hello everyone, and happy Spring!

Some time ago, many of you addressed my concerns about a Tomcot apricot tree that was sickly and small. In spite of the consensus to replace my Charlie Brown Tomcot, i was determined to love it healthy. Advance time - you all were right, my efforts proved futile, and i just dug it out of the ground today for replacement. Lesson learned; If something isn't growing properly or is otherwise diseased, replace it without delay. Why waste precious growing time with something that's doomed to failure?

With this lesson in mind, i also pulled three cherry trees out of the ground; a Bing, Stella, and Lapin. These cherries were all afflicted in varying degrees with amber ick, and it was getting worse every year. Last year, whole limbs had to be removed because they were all wilty and dead looking. Two different local nurseries advised that my cherries could live for many years with what was presumably gummosis, but i'm honestly not interested in nurturing trees that are in a slow but constant state of decline. I've also determined cherry trees are rather a waste for me because the moment the cherries ripen, the birds pluck every last one. POOF! In one night - every last cherry is snatched.

Now to my questions: While the Tomcot and three cherries have been a disappointment, i've been supremely happy with two plum trees, a Shiro and a Satsuma. I would like to plant two more in the holes where two of the cherries were removed. In another hole, i think i want to try a pear, and perhaps another peach in the last hole where the Tomcot was. My questions are:

Do i need to be concerned about the holes being "contaminated" by the ick that was afflicting the cherries?

Other than compost, are there any other things i should be thinking about in terms of hole preparation?

Can i plant now, or should i let the holes stay empty for a while so nature can properly "season" them?

I'd really like to put replacement trees in the same spot, since all the fruit trees in that part of the field are arranged in rows.

You can kind of see the fruit trees at the top of this picture - the cherries and Tomcot were to the right.

Thanks everyone!

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Comments (5)

ashleysf
14 years ago
Your garden is lovely. I have a suggestion. Why don't you purchase the trees that you like and put them in large (18 or 20 inch) containers and grow them there for a year or two and let the holes stay empty for a couple of seasons and then plant the trees into them. That way, you can enjoy the fruit while you wait. I personally have done this and waited 2 years before replanting in the same destination.
olpea
14 years ago
Hi Estreya,

Very attractive planting.

I probably read it, but I don't remember the original ordeal about the Tomcot and sweet cherries.

Although there are root diseases, it sounds like your trees died from gummosis (which is not a root disease). You should be fine planting plums and pears in the same location. In terms of root diseases, pears and plums are tough as nails.
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estreya
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for your responses!

Ashleysf, i'm sure your pots were beautiful, and i've always admired landscapes that are accented with potted trees. Having said that, i'm kind of eager to get new trees established out in the field, preferably in the same spots. Also, summers are very very dry and hot here, and i'm not eager to have to keep pots sufficiently watered. :)

Olpea, this information really eases my mind. I think i'll just proceed, then, as i ordinarily would for planting, and not worry about "decontaminating" the holes.

Do you think smaller trees will establish more easily and eventually "catch up" to the size of the larger ones, or should i make an effort to find the largest replacement trees possible?

By the way, for anyone who remembers my Tomcot issues, many of you said the problem was probably with the roots. Sure enough, when i dug it up today, the roots were really wonky. Some of them had spread normally, with one in the center that had really dug deep into the earth. But oddly, some of the roots, one thick one in particular, was growing inward and around into the root mass - it was really odd. I know when i planted, i tried to score the edges and sort of make sure there was no visible girdling, but i either did a horrible job planting this one, or something weird just happened in the way the roots developed. One of them looked pretty black compared to the others. /shrug
jean001
14 years ago
You asked "Do you think smaller trees will establish more easily and eventually "catch up" to the size of the larger ones, "

Yes, research trials have proven that smaller trees establish more rapidly than do larger ones.
estreya
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, Jean. I'm betwixt and between. I'm tempted to look for larger ones because the seemingly inevitably deer damage might be less impactful - but smaller ones might be easier to protect. I'm still playing the odds without a proper fence. :)