Quite a few years ago (over 10 ) I planted a few blackthorn trees in a hedge
, hopefully safeguarding my sloe gin supplies . They've grown well , and
flower profusely , setting plenty of fruit . These only stay growing a short
time before turning "dusty brown " and eventually black and shrivelling
away . Never had a single usable sloe . Wild ones close by set fruit and
grow to usable sloes . Presumably this is a fungal thing ( ?) Appreciate
any ideas for a cure , are systemic fungicides available , or desirable ?
TIA.

bulldurham73 wrote:
Quite a few years ago (over 10 ) I planted a few blackthorn trees
in
a hedge , hopefully safeguarding my sloe gin supplies . They've
grown
well , and flower profusely , setting plenty of fruit . These only
stay growing a short time before turning "dusty brown " and
eventually black and shrivelling away . Never had a single usable
sloe . Wild ones close by set fruit and grow to usable sloes .
Presumably this is a fungal thing ( ?) Appreciate any ideas for a
cure , are systemic fungicides available , or desirable ? TIA.

Interesting. I don't know the cause, but I have seen something rather
similar. Are yours exposed to about the same sunlight as the others?
The same pattern of moisture at the roots? (Just thinking "aloud".)
At my last place I did have the impression that the most exposed gave
the best fruits. Similarly, the less exposed ones seemed more prone
to the dying back which is quite common with blackthorn.

If time is on your side, perhaps you could experiment by bringing in
a few good suckers from the good wild ones and planting them near
yours, just to see how they do.

Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
bulldurham73 wrote:
Quite a few years ago (over 10 ) I planted a few blackthorn trees
in
a hedge , hopefully safeguarding my sloe gin supplies . They've
grown
well , and flower profusely , setting plenty of fruit . These only
stay growing a short time before turning "dusty brown " and
eventually black and shrivelling away . Never had a single usable
sloe . Wild ones close by set fruit and grow to usable sloes .
Presumably this is a fungal thing ( ?) Appreciate any ideas for a
cure , are systemic fungicides available , or desirable ? TIA.

Interesting. I don't know the cause, but I have seen something rather
similar. Are yours exposed to about the same sunlight as the others?
The same pattern of moisture at the roots? (Just thinking "aloud".)
At my last place I did have the impression that the most exposed gave
the best fruits. Similarly, the less exposed ones seemed more prone
to the dying back which is quite common with blackthorn.

If time is on your side, perhaps you could experiment by bringing in
a few good suckers from the good wild ones and planting them near
yours, just to see how they do.

Mike.

Yes , very exposed indeed , nothing around them at all . Possibly more so
than the wild ones . Not very rich soil around them either . These were
brought in from a hedging supplier along with thorn quicks , and a few
holly and rosa canina . All of these have done quite well . The "wild "
ones are roadside planted by the local authority , and in view of heavy
traffic , I don't really feel like gathering the sloes for gin. But I 'll
look into the sucker situation . Thanks

The only fungus I have come across is Taphrina pruni (Pocket Plums)
CJ
"bulldurham73" wrote in message
...

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
bulldurham73 wrote:
Quite a few years ago (over 10 ) I planted a few blackthorn trees
in
a hedge , hopefully safeguarding my sloe gin supplies . They've
grown
well , and flower profusely , setting plenty of fruit . These only
stay growing a short time before turning "dusty brown " and
eventually black and shrivelling away . Never had a single usable
sloe . Wild ones close by set fruit and grow to usable sloes .
Presumably this is a fungal thing ( ?) Appreciate any ideas for a
cure , are systemic fungicides available , or desirable ? TIA.

Interesting. I don't know the cause, but I have seen something rather
similar. Are yours exposed to about the same sunlight as the others?
The same pattern of moisture at the roots? (Just thinking "aloud".)
At my last place I did have the impression that the most exposed gave
the best fruits. Similarly, the less exposed ones seemed more prone
to the dying back which is quite common with blackthorn.

If time is on your side, perhaps you could experiment by bringing in
a few good suckers from the good wild ones and planting them near
yours, just to see how they do.

Mike.

Yes , very exposed indeed , nothing around them at all . Possibly more so
than the wild ones . Not very rich soil around them either . These were
brought in from a hedging supplier along with thorn quicks , and a few
holly and rosa canina . All of these have done quite well . The "wild "
ones are roadside planted by the local authority , and in view of heavy
traffic , I don't really feel like gathering the sloes for gin. But I
'll
look into the sucker situation . Thanks

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Colin Jacobs" contains these words:

The only fungus I have come across is Taphrina pruni (Pocket Plums)
CJ

I used to have an excellent damson, until it got pocket-plum which
wiped out the fruit crops. Nearby, there was an extensive thicket of
wild sloes which suffered the same fate.

Janet.
Thanks for the replies . Is there a cure for this , systemic or whatever ,
or is it not advisable , or not economic ?