solar07
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:17 am

Hello from Ohio. Help my apple tree please!

Hello all,

This is my first post here. I'm in central Ohio and we have been at our house 5 years now. We are rookies when it comes to landscape, gardening, etc. But we have just been loving it and learning everyday. We have two (What I assume are golden delicious) apple trees . The one to the left looks great. Last year the one to the right yellowed out on the top highest branch and actually lost its leaves there. We got hit by June Beatles last year and I took care of them with seven. We were happy to see the tree was healthy this spring and the branch was green as ever. About 2 months ago the top highest 2 branches began to yellow out again. The June beetles hit some of our areas in back but not the apple trees thank goodness. I sprayed them earlier in the year with some horticulture oil.

Anyway, those two branches get more yellow each week and in getting nervous. We had tons of rain in the spring then it dried out pretty good for a couple weeks but we have still had some hard rains here and there followed by some 90 degree days. I took some pictures. The tree on the right has the issue . The bottom leaves look healthy and green with a bit of spotting. Middle branches and leaves have a tad more spotting of sone sort but still quite green. You can see the top leaves are very yellow with some rust colored areas.

Any advice? Please help?

Instead of wasting precious space with pictures, here is a link were I posed this question on my old forum. It isn't very active so I'm moving here if you all don't mind :)

https://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions ... lowing-top



While I'm on the subject, any advice for pruning, how and when, how to cut, when to cut? Id like to spruce it up a bit so I can mow under them and take some stress off the long branches but I'd be devastated if I killed them .

JONA
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Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Hi Solar,
My first thought would be the variation you've had between temperatures and water. This is typical results that you get from such events. It's not made any easier in that your trees look as if they are carrying a pretty thick top.
Rust could also be a problem ....but it would show itself by lesions on the leaves if it was serious.
The majority of the tree looks great with a nice even spread of fruit as far as can be seen.
As to pruning. Wait until the fall and then put on a couple of photos of each tree on here if you can. Once the leaves are off it will be much easier to see what needs to go.
Can't say I like the use of Sevin though. Nasty chemical.

solar07
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:17 am

Thank you so much for the reply. I will definitely do that. I am hoping to be able to prune myself as I'm pretty familiar with the process of running most cutting tools including a chain saw if needed.

Anything I should be doing for the rust?

What do you recommend for when the June beetles attack the tree ad opposed to seven? I only did it once last year as they were killing every thing. I haven't had to do it this year. I'm guessing the horticulture oil may have helped .

JONA
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Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

The problem is here Is that there are around six varieties of beetles that are known as June Bugs.
The most common that actually damage plants above ground are the Japanese beetles. These can be killed if you have a have a severe infestation with any general bug killer.
I say try to avoid Sevin as it's not only a general killer that will take out everything...but is a known carcinogenic.
Over here the other side of the pond it's been banned for years..
Hope that helps.

solar07
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:17 am

Japanese beetles is what we have. Awful little creatures.

Anything I should or can do about the rust? I noticed today as well, the branches that are yellowed do not have fruit.

JONA
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Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

There are plenty of sprays against rust..just check at your local garden centre.
Like with a lot of fungal infections, you can only protect against the disease , and not kill it in areas that are infected.
It's one of those ' stable door ' problems.



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