3 Common Diseases That Can Affect Your Apple Trees
Trees add a good amount of appeal and value to your yard, and certain varieties can also produce fruit for you and your family. If you are part of the many households who enjoy fruit from your apple tree, ensuring this tree remains healthy and strong throughout its lifespan is key. Unfortunately, there are certain diseases that can affect the growth of your apple tree, reducing its ability to produce fruit and eventually killing the tree. Here are a few common diseases that can affect your apple tree.
Apple Scab
Apple scab is one of the most common diseases that can affect apple trees. Caused by the fungus, Venturia inaequalis, apple scab disease can spread across the tree quickly. In addition, the fungus can spread and harm nearby trees in a short period of time.
Signs that your tree is infected with apple scab include the following:
- Dark lesions on leaves and fruit
- Excessively moist, water-soaked fruit
- Velvety green residue on leaves and fruit
- Leaves and fruit have fallen to ground
If you notice lesions on your apple tree, applying a fungicide to the foliage and limbs is imperative for stopping the spread of the fungus. Use pruning shears to trim off damaged limbs and foliage, as well. Be sure to clean the limbs and foliage up from off the ground, since the fungus could spread to nearby landscaping.
Apple Rust
If you notice rusty-colored growths on your apple tree, it may be infected with apple rust disease. While it can affect cedar trees, apple rust is most common in apple trees.
The rusty-colored spores may first appear on the leaves, eventually spreading onto fruit within a few days or weeks. The growth spores can become so large they will affect the development and shape of your fruit on the apple tree.
Applying a fungicide to infected foliage is smart, but you must prune off foliage, fruit, and infected limbs to stop the infection from spreading.
Collar Rot
Collar rot is another disease that can infect your apple tree. Again, it is caused by a fungus that develops on the tree's trunk, preventing nutrients and water from nourishing your tree. Over time, the fungus will cause your apple tree to die.
In most cases, collar rot will first display itself as a reddish discoloration on the tree's leaves in the summer season. This discoloration will spread across all the foliage. You may also notice fruit is growing smaller than the fruit from previous seasons.
Fungicide will treat collar rot. However, if you have multiple trees in an orchard infected, removal of these trees will be necessary, since the fungus has most likely spread through the root system.
Apple trees are excellent additions to your landscape design, but proper care is important to ensure they remain healthy and attractive. This guide and the help of tree care professionals, like those at Good Morrow, will help you diagnose and treat common diseases of the apple tree.