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Leaves dropping off apple tree (Cox)

dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
edited September 2021 in Problem solving
Not because its almost autumn mind, as it’s been happening since about early August.

It’s in its third year, has a beautiful crop of fruit this year.

No insect pests I can see, I put glue bands around the trunk and this helps a lot, but the upper most branches are almost totally devoid of leaves.

The leaves go mottled, yellowish, then brown and fall.

Is this rust?

thanks 🙏🏻 


Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Could it possibly be thirsty? It looks as if it could be a dry spot … against a fence and with large plants around it. 

    I was digging in someone else’s garden the other day … the surface was damp but 3” below it was dry as dust.  Drought at the roots will affect the topmost branches first. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    "The leaves go mottled, yellowish, then brown and fall."
    Sounds like scab.  All of my apple trees have it to greater or lesser degrees, and it's particularly noticeable this year as there's been almost total drought conditions here for the last 18 months or more.
    Have a look at these common apple tree leaf diseases to see if it matches:
    As @Dovefromabove says, the root cause is likely not enough water, which makes them more susceptible to things like this.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Hmm I’ll keep watering then. It has been watered in with buckets at a time, since I planted it in Autumn 2019, as I’m aware of the importance of keeping that up especially with a young tree, but scab due to water stress I hadn’t thought of. Thanks.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Agree with @BobTheGardener our apple trees this year are suffering due to the very long period of drought.
    Our Katya which normally has a brilliant crop, this year very small and poor eaters.
    However the early worcester permain has had a fabulous harvest with apples the size of small grapefruits.
    How wonderful our plants are.
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