Apple Trees

[ch0505]

Have a 3 year old apple tree that inherited when I moved in. Every year the leaves become diseased and brown. How can I prevent or treat this?

[Lonnie]

I've narrowed it down to one of two possible causes. you don't say if the leaves also curl, so first, it could be Nutrient deficiency, which is actually a shortage of one of the following, Notrogen,Potash, Magnesium or Iron, for this, you need to give the tree a Foliar feed such as Fillip, you can get other types from a garden centre, and on the pack, should be instructions of exactly when to use it.

The second, and more serious, is the Red Spider Mite, if its this, then it should start with a faint mottling, turning to a browny bronze colour, the leafs will become brittle and die. If you examine the underside of the leaf with a magnifying glass, you may see them, you need to spray with Long Last, Malthion or Derris, and you may need to repeat every so often.

If its neither of these, you can take a couple of leafs to a garden centre, their experts are only to happy to help and give advice,