Knowledgebase

What is tressing my apple tree #874149

Asked June 22, 2024, 7:39 AM EDT

I have an apple tree I planted around 2018. Its struggling in its growth. Its very splindly and I see some of the bark is missing. I dont know exactly when the damage happened. The leaves are distorted and fruit on the tree has rusty spots that have appeared making the fruit oddly shaped.

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

It's difficult to see the symptoms clearly in the photos, since they are so bright. Are you able to send new pictures of the symptoms?

The trunk damage isn't clear in the picture, but it looks like an old canker might be present (which looks like it's sealing-over), and possibly also old scraping damage to the trunk. Do deer visit the yard overnight? If so, antler rubbing (also called "buck rub") by males in the autumn can cause serious damage to tree trunks, sometimes resulting in dieback or infection of the wood or the start of wood decay due to the wound, since it's not treatable. If deer are around, protecting the trunk with a wire cage (leaving enough space for the trunk to increase in girth as the tree ages) will help avoid more damage.

Apples, like many popular fruits (peaches, cherry, pear, etc.), are vulnerable to several pests and diseases, and can be fairly high-maintenance with pruning and other yearly care regimens. The linked page provides an overview, and contains links to additional resources. Often, several pesticide sprays (organic or otherwise) are needed to protect plant health and ensure a harvest is not ruined, though some gardeners are lucky and have fewer problems, at least in the first few years after planting. If you already are spraying, the burnt spots on foliage resemble phytotoxicity, which is plant tissue damage from chemical exposure (even sometimes from chemicals intended for use on plants). On hot days, or with certain pesticides, foliage sensitivity can result in brown spotting that looks like this. If you didn't spray, it might be one of the several leaf diseases apples can contract, or just scald from drought stress. Lumpy fruit could be the result of insect infestation (larvae boring into the fruit) or fungal infection, or potentially poor pollination if bees weren't visiting in enough numbers or if the weather was wet or chilly during bloom, keeping them grounded.

Poor growth or low vigor overall could stem from several factors.
  • Is the tree in full sun? If not, lack of enough light can impact growth. (Full sun is 6-8 or more hours of direct light a day in summer, which fruit trees need to grow and yield well.)
  • Is the tree monitored for watering needs? During periods of drought, growth and fruit development will stall.
  • Has the tree been fertilized each year? The lawn is growing very close and is probably mingling with the tree's root system, competing with it for moisture and nutrients, and fruit trees need more routine fertilizer than ornamental trees do. Keeping the lawn further away (expanding the mulched area) and performing a laboratory soil test in that are can help determine if any key nutrients are deficient in the soil. While any lawn fertilizer applied is probably available to the tree, it won't necessarily have the nutrient balance it needs, though it won't be adversely harmful.
  • The condition of the tree's root system when it was newly installed can also impact how well it establishes and fares long-term. Were the roots loosened-up when the tree was taken out of its pot (or burlap)?
For now, just continue to monitor it for irrigation needs as the weather trends dry. If an insect is affecting the fruit, or if a fungal infection is present in the foliage, it's too late to treat either for this season, as the pesticide will not be able to cure existing symptoms. If any fruits or foliage is shed by the tree (a normal response to several of those conditions), try to collect and dispose of them to minimize any problems persisting for next year.

Miri

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