Fruit tree puzzle???!!!

[Fuddy1952]

I have fruit trees I planted, apple, peach, pear, etc. A few days I was amazed how well they were doing, a plum tree loaded with fruit, healthy, vibrant...next day or two dead! Leaves shriveled. So I chained it to tractor bucket and pulled it up by the roots...trunk about 6" across.
Now I just noticed the peach next to it which was fine yesterday & lots of small peaches the main branch & smaller branch snapped off (it lost lots of limbs over winter heavy snow).
Curious any ideas what caused both to happen? No Roundup used anywhere nearby, we've had good rains. There are some deer around & I've seen a large groundhog not far away (could that be it?). I mow well away since I keep them mulched.
Should I just cut it down...there is growth about a foot up.
Thanks.
.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

Call Virginia State Forestry. Depending on your acreage in woods, they'll either come out, or you can text pictures. If pictures won't give you a diagnosis, then send leaves, and slash of bark, maybe a slab of wood. They'll set you straight with the problem, AND the solution. Good luck with it. They say that any man of 65 or older, that plants fruit trees is an optimist. It's a shame to loose trees that already have such good growth to them.

 

[Jstpssng]

What did the roots look like when you pulled it?

 

[Fuddy1952]

It's down on the brush pile.
Something ate the fruit.

 

[Sonny580]

didnt have many roots for a tree of that size! --I have trees here that do the same thing,--one day fine---next day dead! I was told its soil bacteria killing them. O.k. WHERE and when does this come from? I cant get real answers here from anybody!

 

[Fuddy1952]

I thought of something today (sometimes I do that ).
A few weeks ago I had a white pine die and had everything run through a chipper. I have loads of it I used as mulch around trees.
I remembered years ago someone told me never to do that, because I'd be putting diseased mulch around a healthy tree.
Could that be it?