I am not sure what's wrong, I planted Apple tree about 6 years back, and never had a healthy fruit. I got the tree pruned this year hoping for better results, but I see black spots on wilted leaves. Looks like there are some insects, looks like small caterpillars, but might not be those. need help, what can I do?
Where are you located ? I am in NE Texas. Three years ago our apple and pear trees were hit with fire blight. It doesn`t bother stone fruit but will make apple and pear trees look like the leaves were burned and they turn a rusty red brown but do not fall off. It gets in the tree when it is in bloom. Usually they live over it if no breaks in the trunk but takes another year to recuperate and the the next it will produce again. Not sure about yours,,if thats what it is it is just beginning. You can spray with an antifungal plus insecticide just in case but it usually just has to run its course !! Could also just be too much water if you are having a lot of rain like we are.
I live in New Jersey. We are just getting into warm weather like low 70s. There is not much rain here. This issue has been there for last 3 years. Fruit gets black spots, and distorted shape and eventually fall off without maturing.
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/apples/cedar-apple-rust-control.htm Looks like this may be the culprit.
Hi SKP and welcome. We grow apple trees to have apples for our farmers markets. Can I confess? I hate growing them. First find your local extension service in your county and go buy, or if they give them away, a fruit tree production guide and a spray schedule for your area. and follow the spray schedule. If you don't spray you will not get fruit on a regular apple tree. NOW if you are not interested in spraying your trees tear it out and start over with a "spray-less" tree. There is getting to be a huge list of them available. The best place to order them from is Adams County Nursery. for the "spray-less" trees we grow: Goldrush williams pride liberty freedom gingergold enterprise and we just ordered 9 new ones for next year on the rootstock we wanted them on. These trees require much less maintenance than the typical apple tree. Well worth the tearing yours out and starting over. You don't need to spray for fungal issues on these tress, only insects if you want or have a problem. Do make sure you are fertilizing and applying minerals that the tree needs to produce fruit. a calcium deficiency will make all of the apples look diseased and they aren't. they are lacking adequate mineral uptake to support healthy fruit. growing apples is a HUGE learning curve. It isn't easy, but my husband likes the challenge of it.
Yikes SKP that is too bad about your apple tree. Carolyn I several years ago we planted a Enterprise apple tree. For several years we had a few apples as it was still pretty small. Then one bad winter we had voles chew that bark off all the way around the tree. We have put a wire mess around it about 3ft high. But the snow was higher. In spring we saw the damage and cut the tree down. We have at least 8-10 apple trees growing on and around our 8 acre property. They were hear when we moved out here, and we have no idea what varieties they are. Some of the trees produce some really nice apples. I usually make apple sauce out of them as they are a little wormy. One tree looks and taste like an Early Yellow Transparent Apple. That one we have done some trimming on, but do not spray at all. We do get some worms, but with all those apples trees scattered on and around our property the Coddle moths have a lot to pick from . We do have one apple tree that I think is a Red Delicious. The apples are a vary dark mahogany red and ripen last into the fall. But they are always very deformed and not usable. I bet they have a calcium or mineral deficiency? I think I will have my honey cut the grass really short around the tree this year, and feed it some minerals.
I just planted about 30 apple trees this spring Carolyn and I don't have any intention of spraying so I hope it isn't as bleak as you make it sound I'm betting that running the birds among the trees and a few other measures will keep pests to a reasonable amount but.. I'm starting from zero experience so we'll see.
Do not know where you are located but I can assure you that here in Texas the birds do not eat the bugs that damage the trees and apples. Not to mention fire blight, fungal problems ect !! There are things you can spray with that are organic if thats the problem.
Well, good luck on your decision .Maybe where you live it wouldn't be as bad for disease and insect pressure. We can't grow regular trees without spraying. I wish I could but no one would want to buy this type of "organic" apple which is why we are moving towards the "spray-less" trees that are being released. Less work the whole way around.
There are organic interventions for apple, some of them do involve spraying. Others (like a clean yard) do not. None of them are as simple or easy as running your chickens or ducks in the orchard.
