Help!! I have an Apple tree that has fire blight and I think black rot. The 17 year ciacadas did a number on the tree in the spring, which has led us here. I’m so nervous it’s going to keep spreading to my other fruit trees who are showing symptoms. According to an arborist, it is salvageable, but I need to cut the diseased branches this winter. I CANT WAIT ANY LONGER THOUGH. I really want to cut them now before they spread more. The tree had early fruits this year as well. So no more growth. Should I go ahead and cut? Even though the rainy season is basically always here but it’s warm?
Should I remove these diseased branches?
- Thread starter Baileerenae
- Start date
It is good to prune Fireblight (Erwinia amylovora) out early, but I would wait for a dry day. Prune deeply into the healthy wood and sterilize the tool between cuts wth a 10% bleach dip. Dispose of the cut wood offsite, at least 30 meters or more away from susceptible species. Dormant sprays are minimally effective with this disease. If the tree repeatedly becomes infected consider replacing it with a fireblight-resistant variety. Such apple varieties do exist, but they are not yet as commonly available as many of the well-known commercial mainstays.
Remember that Fireblight will only infect the Pome-bearing members of the Rose family (Rosaceae). This group includes apples (Malus), pears (Pyrus), quince (Cydonia), hawthorns (Crataegus), serviceberries (Amelanchier), etc, but it does not include the stone fruits in the genus Prunus.
Remember that Fireblight will only infect the Pome-bearing members of the Rose family (Rosaceae). This group includes apples (Malus), pears (Pyrus), quince (Cydonia), hawthorns (Crataegus), serviceberries (Amelanchier), etc, but it does not include the stone fruits in the genus Prunus.
Thanks for the advice. When trimming, what should I look for in a twig that has blight vs one that doesn’t?
The blighted leaves and branches will look dead, as if they had been scorched by fire, hence the name Fireblight. Looking at your tree gives me hope, the majority of the branches look green and alive.