Welcome to Apple Trees, this site is fanatical about anything to do with apples and apple trees. Our fanaticism started when we planted our dwarf apple tree in our small back garden. Gradually, this became an obsession and to cut a long story short, we bought some land and started our own orchard.

To say our apple trees are our passion would be an understatement. We will be gradually adding lots of photos and apple trees articles, including growing apple tree guides, guide on dwarf apples trees, apple recipes, apple tree growing and much more!

You will be able to buy apple trees here also! Apple trees for sale around the UK will be listed, as will review guides and how to buy apple trees.

2 Responses to “Why Has My Bramley Apple Tree Developed A Nasty Scab-like Skin This Year?”Apple trees

1. robert son
   January 17th, 2010 - 10:07 pm

   This is the most significant and widely known disease of apples and pears. Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) Infections can develop both on fruit and leaves and some ornamental Malus (crab apples) can be particularly seriously affected. the symptoms are where Initial infections spread to form velvety, dark green patches on the leaves, which then liberate a different type of spore with slightly different infection requirements.
   The fungus dies out in older lesions, leaving brown, dead patches of tissue. On fruit, infection causes scarred, scabby lesions on the skin that do not expand at the same rate as uninfected tissue during ripening; this causes misshapen, often cracked fruit.
   Such cracks render fruit susceptible to rots, such as brown rot or Penicillium infections. Infections occurring close to harvest may only become apparent as dark, sunken spots on fruit in storage. Infected leaves fall prematurely and carry the fungus through to the next season.
   The disease is spread by rain-splash and wind throughout the tree and on to neighbouring trees.
   The fungus overwinters in the fallen leaves. In the spring spores are released into the atmosphere and carried by wind into the trees. The disease spreads most rapidly when there are frequent showers in spring and early summer.
   Spore discharge and infection occur under precise conditions of temperature and humidity, known as ‘Mills periods’. Commercial growers are warned when such conditions are prevalent, to assist with precise spraying.
   Although unsightly, this disease affects only the skin of the fruit, and they are still edible. The damage to foliage is more serious, causing leaf fall and reduced tree vigour and fruit crops in future years.the Non-chemical control involves Clearing up and destroying or composting fallen leaves helps reduce scab, but since the spores are airborne this never eliminates infection. Prune out infected shoots during the winter. Rake up and destroy fallen leaves to reduce the carry-over of the disease from one season to the next. There is also a Chemical control
   Spray at regular intervals during the growing season with mancozeb (Bio Dithane 945), or myclobutanil (Bio Systhane Fungus Fighter). The number of applications depends on the severity of attack – in some seasons it is necessary to continue spraying until late July.
   hope this helps

   APPLE TREES
   Why Has My Bramley Apple Tree Developed A Nasty Scab-like Skin This Year?
2. Silverli
   January 18th, 2010 - 2:01 am

   You might want to have an arborist come in on this one. If its a disease (and it sounds like one) it will have to be treated, otherwise the tree might die. They will have the necessary equipment to spray and/or trim the tree back. If it helps, and I’m not sure it will, starkbros has the best fruit tree fertilizer in my opinion. I use it on my trees every year. http://www.starkbros.com

   APPLE TREES
   Why Has My Bramley Apple Tree Developed A Nasty Scab-like Skin This Year?