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Help please, apple tree disease

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  • 29-05-2024 8:05pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭


    hi, having a terrible time of it with my apple trees, all 6 of them were planted last year and all 6 losing all their leaves now and have been riddled with these weird spots.

    Please see photo. What is this and what can i do to help save the trees?



Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 5,903 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison


    Did you prune the tree thoroughly last winter , especially areas that may have shown signs of disease?
    It’s possibly apple scab but people more knowledgable to me may confirm otherwise- pruning back infected areas will help prevent the spread,

    How is the base of the tree? Is it kept clear of dead leaves and debris?



  • Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭DRedSky


    thanks, yes base of trees are clear.

    Tbh I didn’t notice any issue until recently. They’re all young trees of different varieties all just planted last year.

    All 6 are showing same symptoms



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,903 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison


    Sounds like either they were all purchased with the same disease or else, might be a soil issue - it was a very wet winter which could have added to things but with leaves falling off now as well on all 6, which are a range of varieties- that’s strange -for me it either points to a soil condition as the issue or that you purchased all 6 with that condition - maybe wait for someone else to appear here to provide their view but I’d go back to the center you purchased from with photos - don’t tell them you purchased there until after they give their view- they might just walk into admitting that they were a bad batch - but considering all 6 and different varieties it’s also possibly a soil issue



  • Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭DRedSky


    thanks, more pics here. Even the little “baby” apples have holes in them all too.

    Gutted. :(



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,903 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison


    considering the early deterioration it does point towards apple scab- as opposed to brown rot which may be caused by wet winters and also birds damaging the fruit but it’s a bit too early for that - cut back infected areas and dispose of carefully - maybe consider a soil test or add chicken manure (readily available in garden shops) to see if it helps improve leave quality over summer

    How to identify apple scab

    Spots that are black or brown in colour develop on the leaves and fruits, from spring onwards. Affected leaves may fall early. On fruit, the spots may join up to form lesions which can split, allowing entry to other infections.
    https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/apple-tree-diseases/



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  • Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭DRedSky


    well oscar madison, i’ll be honest here and say I privately doubted your verdict yesterday and had been googling tonnes of pics of apple diseases and was thinking it was probably something called frogeye leafspot.

    But….. i took cuttings and brought them to 2 garden centres and was told by both that it is indeed scab.

    You were right!

    Thanks again for taking the time to help and for what turned out to be the correct diagnosis.



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