New apple tree care - Ask Extension
Hello! We recently purchased and planted six apple trees of several varieties to begin our small homestead organic orchard. I was curious what type of...
Knowledgebase
New apple tree care #864903
Asked April 17, 2024, 4:15 PM EDT
Hello! We recently purchased and planted six apple trees of several varieties to begin our small homestead organic orchard. I was curious what type of diseases and pests are prevalent in this area so that I can get a head start on prevention and control.
Any information you have on this would be great. Thanks!!
Emily
Carroll County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Emily,
Fruit trees can be high-maintenance crops, so it's a good idea to research potential problems before they arise, as you ask. Disease-resistant cultivars (varieties) are the best starting point, so hopefully the plants you selected so far are among those naturally more resistant to infection. (None will be immune or equally resistant to all possible diseases, though.)
We recently revised our fruit care pages, and the Growing Apple and Pear Trees in a Home Garden page contains a list of some resistant cultivars plus information about the usual pests and diseases. The Virginia Pest Management Guide linked in that section is applicable to Maryland fruit growers as well, and includes more detail about pesticide active ingredients and the timing of preventative applications. Additional resources that may be helpful (so you know what diseases might be more likely in certain varieties) include:
Fruit trees can be high-maintenance crops, so it's a good idea to research potential problems before they arise, as you ask. Disease-resistant cultivars (varieties) are the best starting point, so hopefully the plants you selected so far are among those naturally more resistant to infection. (None will be immune or equally resistant to all possible diseases, though.)
We recently revised our fruit care pages, and the Growing Apple and Pear Trees in a Home Garden page contains a list of some resistant cultivars plus information about the usual pests and diseases. The Virginia Pest Management Guide linked in that section is applicable to Maryland fruit growers as well, and includes more detail about pesticide active ingredients and the timing of preventative applications. Additional resources that may be helpful (so you know what diseases might be more likely in certain varieties) include:
- Purdue Extension 4-page PDF document: Disease Susceptibility of Common Apple Cultivars
- University of Kentucky Extension fact sheet (PDF): Disease Susceptibility & Resistance of Common Apple Cultivars
- University of Missouri Extension: Disease-Resistant Apple Cultivars
