FIVE FRUIT TREE DISEASES YOU’LL NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR

MoST fruit trees are trouble-free and healthy, but here are five potential hazards to be aware of — although most trees will survive even the worst of them.

1: SCAB is caused by a fungus that overwinters in the cracks and fissures of young stems and also on fallen leaves. Chocolate-brown stains appear on the fruit (which are often small and misshapen) and blotches develop on the leaves. Cut back any signs of scab on young shoots and rake up and burn all fallen leaves that might be infected.

2: CANKER is caused by the fungus Nectria galligena, which spreads via the wind and enters the tree through wounds, pruning marks or infection caused by scab. It manifests itself on the bark of apples (and pears), with the surface sinking inwards. The only way to treat it is to prune away all signs of infection back to healthy wood. Burn all prunings.

3: APPLE BITTER PIT shows itself on the fruit with sunken reddish brown spots on the skin, which go through into the flesh. The apples’ taste is made bitter and they do not store well. It is caused by calcium deficiency in the fruit, and even though the calcium level in the soil may be adequate, the tree will not take up the levels needed for the fruit to be healthy. The best control is to mulch well each spring with garden compost or well-rotted manure.

4: SILVER LEAF is a fungus that attacks fresh cuts or wounds on plum trees, especially in the autumn and winter, which is why pruning of plums should be restricted to summer. The fungus produces a toxin that causes leaf surfaces to appear silvered. If you spot it, remove the affected branches at least 15cm beyond the affected area.

5: QUINCE LEAF BLIGHT is caused by the fungus Diplocarpon mespili. Small dark spots appear on the leaves, which then wilt, turn yellow and drop prematurely. The fruits might also be affected. However this is down to wet summers and in my experience even quite badly affected trees will come back the following year unaffected.