In principle, it is usually not possible to treat apple trees in private orchards with pesticides, since most of the damage and diseases appear again naturally. However, treatment may be necessary, especially in the case of densely packed apple crops, in order to secure the tree population and the harvest.

The many harmful images of the apple tree

The apple tree is one of the most widespread fruit trees in commercial cultivation and in private gardens in this country. Therefore, once pests or diseases have invaded a certain region, they usually find a broad breeding ground for further spread. What is important for a targeted countermeasure is the clear identification of a specific infestation and its differentiation from sometimes very similar types of damage.

Animal damage on the apple tree

An important threat to tree health and the expected apple harvest are various insects that feed on parts of the fruit, the tree sap or the leaves and also use these as breeding grounds. The insects that can pose a particular threat to apple trees include the following animal species:

  • aphids
  • the codling moth
  • the apple louse
  • the apple rust mite
  • the apple blossom cutter
  • the fruit tree spider mite
  • the little frostbite

The various pests are usually difficult to identify with the human eye due to their small body size. On the one hand, however, they can be recognized by damage to leaves and fruits, on the other hand, by webs and other legacies.

Fungal infestation as a danger that should not be underestimated

A fungal infestation can pose a particularly serious threat to the apple trees in your garden, because fungi can spread even faster than animal pests in a tree population and massively damage its vitality. The most important fungal diseases in apple trees include the following types:

  • the apple powdery mildew
  • the apple scab
  • the Monilia fruit rot
  • the sooty spot disease

If a fungal infestation is noticed on the apple trees, it is advisable to act quickly with suitable countermeasures. Fungal diseases can spread rapidly and infect other apple trees in the garden or in the neighborhood.

Measures against various pests and fungal diseases

Basically, it never hurts to equip the apple trees with a higher vitality and thus a better resistance to harmful influences through precisely coordinated fertilization and regular tree pruning. In particular, the formation of a light and well-ventilated tree crown is of great importance, since rapid drying of the leaves after rainy periods counteracts the spread of fungal infestation. In addition, many birds and insects, which are natural predators of apple tree pests, can find and eliminate their food more easily in sparse treetops. Chemical sprays should usually only be considered as a last resort, as they usually pollute the current crop and make it inedible.

Control the main apple tree pests

Pictures of the common damage patterns on apple trees often show brownish residues on apple blossoms and fruit that have been eaten. These indicate the larvae of the so-called codling moth, which can be contained from spring onwards with a ring of corrugated paper around the trunk. The larvae like to settle under this cardboard ring from spring and can be removed and destroyed with it in June or July. The various subspecies of winter moth, on the other hand, can be combated somewhat better, as they move along the trunk bark and can be caught with a glue ring available from specialist retailers. Typical symptoms of an infestation with the winter moth are leaf sprouts that are connected by webs and leaves with holes. The apple wrinkle aphid sucks on the underside of the leaves of the apple tree, causing leaf deformation. Affected areas can be generously removed with the summer pruning and the cutting material can be burned.

Take action against fungal infestation on the apple tree

The best protection against the dreaded powdery mildew is to prevent the tree crown from being cut carefully and to treat large cuts appropriately so that the fungal spores cannot penetrate inside the tree. Typical images of a Monilia fruit rot infestation are brown rotted fruit mummies dotted with white spots of mold. A control measure against further spread is the regular collection of infested fruits and the removal of fruit mummies during winter pruning. In rainy summers, the fungus Gloeodes pomigena causes a sooty coating of the apple skin in the sooty spot disease. This does not rule out consumption after washing, but can lead to faster spoilage of the fruit in storage. As a countermeasure, you should also force the formation of a lighter treetop here.

tips and tricks

In addition to animal pests and fungal diseases, there are other harmful symptoms of diseases on apple trees. Glassiness is the name given to watery, translucent areas of the fruit flesh below the peel. This metabolic disease occurs above all with excessive fertilization and strong shoot growth after heavy pruning. The so-called specks are expressed by brownish spots in the pulp, but are initially harmless for consumption. Countermeasures include reduced fertilization, liming the tree and switching to summer pruning.

Category:

Trees