Q Are these pustules damaging my dwarf apricot?
Rob Talboys, Pembrokeshire
A BOB SAYS Apricots, and many other stone fruits, aren’t best suited to the mild, wet climate of Pembrokeshire. The lack of a long winter chill means they often don’t go fully dormant, so start the next year with poorly ripened wood. You say the tree is in a warm spot, which will aid flowering and fruiting, but it may keep it too warm in winter. I suggest moving it into a big tub that can be wheeled to a cold, north-facing spot for winter.
Still, what you’re really worried about are these globules. This is sap/resin, which, if left to harden, would in a million years become a form of amber. Their appearance is called gummosis – a bad sign, indicating poor growing conditions. There is no ‘cure’, but some trees spontaneously get over it.