Susan Bell Flavin asked 15 years ago
We have about 6 (out of about 12) apple trees that produced few leaves this year, leaves have brown spots, are dry and fruit is sparse. They look sick. The trees are about 13 years old, dwarf, not sure the specific types, but various types. We have lived here 3 years and the past 2 years have been healthy and produced lots of fruit. This year, lots of blossoms, but few leaves and then little fruit: and fruit that is produced had hard brown skin, cracked/woody. Even the trees in the orchard not effected by the brown spots have produced little or no good fruit. I guess it must be some form of apple scab disease (from reading your database). Is there anything I can do now (sept) for them? I really want to look after them. Is this a result of over-pruning? My poor trees! Please help. Thanks.
Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
Apple scab disease has been rife. Also trees are weakened by carrying a heavy crop and may take an extra year to recover.
The trees will recover if you spray to control apple scab and feed in spring with a fruit fertilizer, or general fertilizer. You could also consider controlling all grass and weeds at their base to a diameter of the spread of the branchs with Roundup. Even a couple of years free of weeds can help them to recover vigour and benefit from the annual spring feeding.
Raking up fallen leaves and removing scabbed fruit helps to reduce infection next year.
More on these aspects at: https://gardenie.wpengine.com/gerrycategory/apples/?id=5389
