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A tragedy: the leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off. The blossoms have withered, a rich harvest is a long way off… The sweet cherry radiating vitality can quickly turn into sick misery. In most cases, fungi are the culprit.

Shotgun disease and spray spot disease

The most common disease affecting sweet cherries is shotgun disease. This disease, which is caused by fungal pathogens, can begin to show itself as early as May. Red-brown spots appear on the leaves. Eventually the spots become holes and the leaves look as if they have been riddled with buckshot. Then they dry up and fall off.

Spray spot disease is similar to shotgun disease. Here it is smaller spots that make the foliage unsightly. They are reddish to purple in color. You can see the yellowish-white spores of the fungus on the underside of the leaves. This disease can also spread to the fruit of the sweet cherry.

Monilia - another evil mushroom

Monilia is well-known and also likes to appear with sweet cherries. Here the flowers, leaves, shoots and/or fruits are attacked. The flowers turn brown and fall off in spring. The new shoots dry up and the leaves are shed. A radical pruning helps here.

Other diseases in sweet cherries

Diseases such as fruit tree canker, bacterial blight and gum foot occur less frequently. The fruit tree canker (a fungal pathogen) affects the wood and bark. As a result, thickenings form. Bacterial burns, which can manifest themselves in depressions on the branches, can lead to the dreaded rubber foot (tissue dissolves and the cherry gradually dies).

How to prevent the diseases?

Stress and lack of nutrients are mainly considered to be the causes of diseases in sweet cherries. Give the sweet cherry the opportunity to build up natural self-protection. That means: Do not choose any heavily overbred varieties, no artificial fertilizers and no chemical fungicides, etc.

The following measures have a preventive effect against diseases:

  • Thin out the crown regularly
  • Plant sweet cherries in a location that is conducive to them
  • fertilize with compost or effective microorganisms
  • Leave leaves in autumn (humus formation)
  • apply wound sealant to larger cuts

tips and tricks

Some varieties such as 'Dönissens Gelbe Knorpel', 'Maibigarreau' and 'Tilgeners Rote Herzkirsche' are particularly resistant to diseases.

KKF

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Vegetable garden