Pretty old apple tree in the garden which produces hundreds of not-great-tasting apples every year looks like it’s in a bit of a state. I had to cut back a weird branch that had been cut before, presumably because it shot out horizontally, and there’s a ton of rot.

It’s not in danger of hitting any buildings if it ever does fall, although could maybe take out a distracted child or two if I’m lucky.

Is there anything I can do to save it?

An apple tree looking worse for wear
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[–] 16 points 6 months ago

Some species of tree can lose up to 70% of their interior and still be structurally stable, but in almost all cases, rot has to be caught a lot earlier than that to have a chance of recovering. The tree probably isn't on its last legs, but it will most likely die of this eventually.

A certified arborist would be able to advise on treatment options, if any, and give you an estimate of how long you're looking at before it needs to be removed.

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