I'm getting a bit concerned again about this. It's difficult to photograph but the whole of the branch is now starting to die back. You can see in one of the pictures that one half of the branch is dark and the other half green, the green side branches off and has leaves but the darker side continues longer and has no leaves.
Could this be diseased?
The only other thing I can think is that I've planted it badly. I have clay soil and digging it out inevitably leads to large clods which can only be broken down so much. Although I heeled it in well, I'm wondering if I've left pockets of air around the roots and it's not getting water properly? I'm tempted to dig it up and replant it into a mix of topsoil and manure. Thoughts on that?
I don’t think you've got anything to lose by doing that.
I would prepare a planting area of at least 1m x 1m ... if your soil is really rubbish I’d dig in a mix of well rotted farmyard manure, garden compost, good topsoil ... whatever you can get your hands on. I’d work it into the soil as far down as you can. Some grit worked into it too wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Then my instinct would be to cut the whole plant back by two thirds and replant it. A bucket full of water every other day from now until mid September and cross your fingers.
Others may think I’m being a bit radical .... 🤔
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If it were mine I would cut off that bottom branch entirely as it makes the tree look unbalanced.
I would also trim a little off the two long branches on the left hand side, back to a good bud, as this will make the crown more even and encourage sideshoots from lower down to thicken up the tree.
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I'm getting a bit concerned again about this. It's difficult to photograph but the whole of the branch is now starting to die back. You can see in one of the pictures that one half of the branch is dark and the other half green, the green side branches off and has leaves but the darker side continues longer and has no leaves.
Could this be diseased?
The only other thing I can think is that I've planted it badly. I have clay soil and digging it out inevitably leads to large clods which can only be broken down so much. Although I heeled it in well, I'm wondering if I've left pockets of air around the roots and it's not getting water properly? I'm tempted to dig it up and replant it into a mix of topsoil and manure. Thoughts on that?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If this is the tree in its entirety:
I'm assuming you don't mean to put a saw to it two thirds of the way down the trunk??
Are you suggesting that all the branches are cut back by 2/3?
You can just make out that it's the single bottom branch that's the damaged one.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I may post some more pics before pruning, just to be sure I'm doing it right!!