Deirdre Moylan asked 9 years ago
One eating apple tree, 4 years old, either Katy or Fiesta (I have one of each), had a great crop of red apples but they were sticky to touch and it was not easy to wash this off. What is it? (Other eater and the Bramley got scab this year.) Should anything be done now to prevent problems next year?
1 Answers
Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
Sticky fruit, usually with a black staining, is called sooty blotch and it is caused by fungi that like a wet summer. Anything that encourages air movement, such as pruning the tree to keep it open, helps and also reduces apple scab.
There are no sprays for sooty blotch, but apple scab sprays used in spring and early summer, do help.
