Apple tree looks a little sad , advice please ?

[Ozi]

Hi all,

Can anyone help diagnose what’s up with the smaller of my two apple trees as it has these curling leaves that are also yellowing.

Any advice on problem and or a solution ?

 

[Chuck]

This looks a lot like Apple Scab. It is just about impossible to diagnose a fungal disease from a computer screen as most fungal diseases are similar in appearance. Try to get a local expert to give you a diagnosis

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Please include a photograph of the base and graft line of the tree. The vigorous, green branches coming from the base suggests that the rootstock may be overtaking the scion of your Apple (Malus domestica).

Also, please include macro shots of the diseased leaves. There are a number of leaf spot disease on apple, but the symptoms do look quite similar to the fungal disease, Marssonina Leaf Blotch (Diplocarpon mali, formerly Marssonina coronaria).

 

[Ozi]

Hi thanks for the replies here’s a couple more photos as requested

 

[Marck]

Yes, those leaves are certainly diseased. There might even be more than one fungal disease at work there.

I still can't see the base of the trunk, but it looks like there are rootstock suckers coming from below the graft line. Those slightly larger, greener, and less-diseased leaves are probably the rootstock cultivar. Even the rootstock is showing disease.

Try once more to find the graft-union near the base of the trunk. It will look like a scar girdling the trunk. Also the color and thickness of the trunk will change and look different above and below the line. If there are stems coming from below the graft-union, you should cut them off.

 

[Ozi]

 

[Marck]

Okay, that's interesting. Most or all of the branches are arising above the graft union. There are few, small rootstock stems coming up from the ground, but for the most part, the rootstock is not overtaking the scion. It is interesting that the lower branches look healthier. Perhaps it is due to their larger size or relative nearness to the uptake of water and nutrients from the root system.

 

[Chuck]

Autumn is not far away and the tree will soon lose all of its leaves. When this happens I would remove ALL of those low branches. As the leaves fall rake up ALL of the shed leaves as they probably will infect the soil with fungal spores. During the winter months spray the tree with a liquid copper fungicide or Bardeaux Mix to kill any lingering fungal spores. When spring comes and new leaves appear spray with Neem Oil as Neem is an insecticide and a fungicide and being an oil will smother any over wintered insect eggs. I would also replace all of the mulch under the tree

 

[Ozi]

Thanks for the advice both !

 

[Neno Baylov]

See if there is not too much moisture in the soil, or if the tree is too fertilized, also signs of yellowing of the leaves. For the yellowing of the leaves I use ferrous sulfate, it helps a lot.

 

[Neno Baylov]

It does not belong to this tree where you put it, it loves the sun and less often watered. I see that you look at other plants next to him, he will get sick.