Green Gage diseased or frost damaged?

Sneachta

My Coes Golden Drop Green Gage is looking pretty pitiful this year.
I planted in spring last year as grew pretty healthy last summer.
But this spring the buds on the top two thirds of the tree turned black and the branches seem to be dying.

On the lower third there are healthy looking leaves.

I'm wondering it its frost/hail damage and I should leave it or if its some disease and I should cut off the top two thirds before it spreads to the remaining part of the tree, or maybe I should just put it down to experience and dig it out and burn?

Dirt Digger · Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 10:30 am Post subject:

Hi Sneachta
I'm no expert on damsons or plums, but I dare say one of the many well informed will be along soon to shed some light on your problem. My tuppence worth! if the picture you've posted is very recent, then I doubt it is caused by frost damage, mainly because we've not had too many severely cold nights in the Dublin area the last 3 weeks or so( I see your location is Dublin),and certainly none that were sub-zero, and with the extremely cold late winter followed by the unbelievably cold spring which ran right through to mid April and delayed bud-burst by up to 4 weeks, I would imagine that the Greengage would have more than acclimatised, but, I could be wrong, and if it is fungal oriented someone will fill out the details soon...

Sneachta · Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 3:46 pm Post subject:

Thanks Dirt Digger, I'm fearing the worst to be honest.
The top "infected" bits have bleached looking bark whereas the lower "healthy" bits have the normal reddish brown shiny bark.

Was really hoping someone here would say that's xyz, you need to ...

I think I'll head down to woodies tomorrow and see if I can find a spray. If nothing looks like it'll hit the mark I think I'll chop off the infected wood and hope for the best on the lower third that mostly looks OK. I was looking forward to fruit on this tree the most so its a bit disappointing, will get another next winter probably and hope for the best.

Greengage · Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 5:05 pm Post subject:

I think that could be powdery mildew on your apples.. I think there was an article on this forum somewhere so ill have a look for you
Here it is http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about1363.html

Sneachta · Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 4:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks Greengage, don't think its that, can't rub off the bleach effect on the bark. My old man reckons its frost damaged and to leave alone. I'll leave it for a bit and see if the bleached bark effect spreads lower, if so i think i'll chop it and hope that prevents further spread downwards. The lower third has plenty of buds and they growing like mad, I suspect the higher wood may have died off and all the energy from the roots is feeding the healthy bit lower down.