Save a rotten apple tree?
We have an ancient apple tree in our garden, really gnarled. Unfortunately, it's also rotten and very hollow inside the trunk. It's already stabilized with two crisscross straps, but it wobbles a little more with every storm. I think it's slowly becoming unpredictably dangerous because no one knows if or when something will break off. BUT it has new side shoots at ground level. Now I was thinking about giving this side shoot a chance to become a tree?! But I know nothing about fruit trees. It's just a shame about this beautiful tree and these beautiful old apples 😔. Can you give me some hope with the side shoot? Thank you.
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The question is not easy to answer.
In plum trees, root shells are normal, in apples rather rare.
It could also be a genetic descendant (generated from the core). In this case, it would be quite pointless to get this, because it rarely brings good apples and let the first fruits wait well and like 10-18 YEARs.
It would really make sense to take rice scrubs from the tree and to let them go to a new base. Ask a regional nursery. On the way you will get the same tree with the same genetic properties. Furthermore, it will also bear much earlier apples. You can even choose the base and instead of a high trunk, e.g., to a weakly growing base.
If you want to give a chance to the offense, patience is said. You would then have to take the lower branches regularly (preferably in winter) so that it shoots up faster and perform an educational cut at the desired height.