Dying viburnum bush

[farmettehopeful]

Sorry if the pic is hard to see but I literally just noticed this 5 minutes ago. The bush (which through previous year postings believe it is a snowball viburnum) comes up as one trunk then splits off to two. The left side is dead! Well, technically it looks to still be in the process of dying but still. I am heartbroken and would like to know if there is anything to do to save it. If I have to cut off the left (dead) side, how do I go about doing that so I don't kill the whole thing?

I also just realized, it should have been blooming by now I think :-(

 

[catjac1975]

It looks like winter kill. I would begin with cutting out all deadwood. Then trim to improve the shape. I would also cut the remaining bush back about 1/3. I have a beauty and it loves to be trimmed. In looking at the bottom of the trunk, is that bark damage I see?

 

[farmettehopeful]

I have been noticing more and more "damage" to the low bark. It looks like sawdust on the ground below it as well. The lower section of branches on the left side are bare but the upper left has wilting leaves. Should I take a saw to the left side of the "Y" at the trunk to remove that whole half and all of the dead/dying branches and if so how close to the main trunk area? This bush was here when we moved in 5 years ago and since I have never had to prune, water, or touch any plants or trees in my life, I have done nothing to it until last years pruning in which I barely touched it for fear of ruining it! Normally when it fills out and blooms, the whole thing turns into a single big heavy "snowball" and is beautiful :-(

 

[farmettehopeful]

Base of the bush (after overnight rain)

Wilting leaves of the left side of bush (after overnight rain)

 

[momofdrew]

It looks like the trunk has a borer??? I dont know much about Viburnum except that there is a pest that eats the leaves... I used DE early spring and have solved the problem...I had a bit of winter kill and trimmed it out...

 

[catjac1975]

I would cut the dying limb off. But it does look like rot at the base. Maybe bush it with a wire brush to get rid of the rot and see what there. It looks like it may have started with lawnmower damage.

 

[farmettehopeful]

Thanks for all of your insight! I have cut away at the "winter dead" stuff and found white fungus on some branches and very few short branch "stumps" hollowed out with what looks like carpenter ants inside. I read that they don't do the damage though, they just enjoy being where damage has occurred. I very lightly scraped away at the bottom bark on the side and backside and underneath was an orangish red "slime", that's the only way I can describe it. Now I may have to look into the effects of round up on tree trunks because my neighbor constantly sprays along the fenceline and that's where the "slime" is, not sure if that could have been it's demise or now. If so, I need to contruct a barrier for the remaining trunk!

Last question then...To attempt to save the other half and stop the pests invasion (if that's what it is), where would be the best place to cut the left half off and how to do I protect that "wound" afterward? I have my DE ready to spread when the rain stops and dries up and I read about making a paste out of it to put on the trunk for insects, maybe this would help when it's cut?

 

[catjac1975]

There is wound tree paint but I have read that tree do better on there own for repairing the wound, that is in regard to fruit trees. However the roundup seems like a likely candidate so a protection from it may be in order. The slime sounds opportunistic as are the ants. Maybe ask the neighbor not to spray near the tree. Sounds like the tree is eventually doomed but you may get a few more years out of it.

 

[farmettehopeful]

Unfortunately she won't stop and thankfully hasn't oversprayed into my garden...yet (may have to take preventative measures on that area as well!) She doesn't understand that wind can carry that stuff! I will baby this thing from now on and hope the other half blooms this year!
You all are so helpful~thanks a billion! :rainbow-sun

 

[hedgenursery]

It looks like winter weather destroy. I would start with reducing out all deadwood. Then decrease to enhance the form. I would also cut the staying shrub back about 1/3. I have a elegance and it likes to be cut. In looking at underneath of the back area, is that debris harm I see?
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hedging plants