Apple Pest and Diseases
(continued)

Care of Apple Trees

The main job is to thin out the fruits. If left to grow naturally, there will be a large crop of undersized apples, and the tree may well produce nothing at all the next year. As soon as the fruits set (i.e. a small but obvious apple is beginning to form), cut out the central fruit from each cluster (typically five fruits) - this 'king' apple is often of low quality and misshapen. Remove all blemished and misshapen fruits.

If the crop looks to be heavy, thin each cluster to one or two fruits - the distance between clusters should be no less than 10cm (4in). Cordons and M9 rootstocks trees will require only minor thinning. If a crop is too heavy, and thinning has not been sufficient, one or more branches may well break. Keep an eye on the situation and be ready to thin out further or support the branch.

Harvesting Apples
The best test of when an apple is ready to eat, is to sample one - if it tastes good, it's ready! Another method is to take the apple in the palm of your hand and give it a slight twist - if it drops off, it is probably ready to eat.

When harvesting apples, take care not to bruise them - this will cause them to rot much more quickly, and if in storage, the rot will spread to other apples.

Storing Apples
Apples keep for longest in cool conditions (3C / 36F), which are well-ventilated, dark and slightly humid. Not many of us can provide these ideal conditions, so a compromise is necessary. A good option is to store the apples in a shed or garage, with the apples in plastic bags to retain moisture - leave a 2cm (1in) hole in each bag to allow some ventilation.

Apple Pests and Diseases
Apple trees are prone to several pests and diseases depending on your local conditions. Consult the quick guide below and then click on the most likely cause for more details of cause and prevention. The key to healthy apple trees is prevention, and prevention consists of cleanliness - remove and burn any fruit which shows signs of disease, regularly sweep up and burn fallen leaves, and keep the storage area clean with an annual wash of soda and warm water. In this way, the use of chemicals can be avoided.

SYMPTOM	POSSIBLE CAUSE
Grey powdery coating on leaves and young shoots.	Mildew
Distorted young shoots and leaves.	Aphids
Ribbon like scars on the apple skin	Apple Sawfly
Holes in the leaves	Winter Moth
Maggot inside apple	Codling Moth
White fluffy areas on the bark, looks like fungus	Woolly Aphid
Sunken, discoloured patches on bark	Canker
Small brown sunken areas on the skin of the fruit	Bitter Pit
Browning of the fruit, especially those in storage.	Brown Rot
Brown blotches on leaves and fruit.	Scab

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Name: brenda
E-mail: Private
Date posted: September 03, 2010 - 04:14 am
Message: found an apple tree while out walking.Trying to idenitfy variety, tried matching with apple pictures but nothing looks accurate.Can anyone help?

Name: katrina
E-mail: katrinaharris@virginmedia.com
Date posted: August 30, 2010 - 09:09 am
Message: Hi I have just done a deal with someone who has two apple trees, I am going to look after them and take have half the apples. They are in a bad way, very old trunks with lots of small apples. They have a pretty open shape but are heaving with pests. I know to buy some trunk bands to stop the pests climbing up. Is there a general spray I can spray them with in the autumn? Thanks for any input.

Name: George
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 29, 2010 - 01:58 pm
Message: Apple tree 20 + years. Cavity developing at base, bark in area around turning very dark, smell and liquid emminating from cavity.

Name: katherine lanson
E-mail: buster_stormy@yahoo.co.uk
Date posted: August 27, 2010 - 07:44 am
Message: Hi,i planted a new apple tree early this year.It is growing but some of the leaves are turning black.Can you advise me please.

Name: pippa
E-mail: pippa.millener@wanadoo.fr
Date posted: August 24, 2010 - 03:18 pm
Message: new growth on my apple tree is dying and all shrivelled up the apples are tiny little shrivelled fruit what is this please??

Name: junaid
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 24, 2010 - 04:55 am
Message: latest about apple treatment

Name: Margaret Carter
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 22, 2010 - 11:56 pm
Message: Apple tree branches have wort like lumps all over them, some are very red in colour. Please can you advise me to what it is and what I can do

Name: Thomas Lessane
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 18, 2010 - 06:09 pm
Message: The tree is approximately 3 yrs old and have not produce any fruit.In june the leaves started to turn brown. Now, every leaf on the tree is brown and the smaller branches are drying up . What is the problem? The tree is a red delicious

Name: Mr Leslie Mitchell
E-mail: l.mitchell362@btinternet.com
Date posted: August 05, 2010 - 05:15 am
Message: the leaves on my apple tree are all curling up tight & there is black dust forming on tree.

Apple Pest and Diseases (continued)

Apple Pest and Diseases
(continued)