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  • Gala Apples

    I have a small Gala apple tree. The fruits are always scabby. I have been told I should spray it.

    When and with what should I spray it?

  • #2
    I think that in your area of the country, with scab-susceptible apple varieties, you will need to be very thorough in your anti-scab treatments.
    Personally, I would either accept the scabby apples (or use them for something else), or replace/re-graft the tree with a scab resistant variety - perhaps sourced from a traditional nursery near to you.

    Have a look at the following link to a "Mills Table" for apple scab (Venturia inequalis) and you will see the risk period for average apple varieties:
    Infection Period Table for Apple Scab

    Most commercial orchards would then spray anti-scab fungicides immediately after the high-risk periods. I don't treat my apples, so I can't give much advice other than to ask advice at a local nursery and make sure that any chemicals are used strictly in accordance with their instructions.

    Here in the dry-ish East of the UK, scab is not such a problem (we have mildew instead). I have tried some of the modern "scab resistant" or "recommended for organic" varieties, but their resistance seems to soon collapse under natural conditions. Go for old-fashioned scab resistant varieties that have survived centuries of unsprayed growing.
    Many of the russet types have some degree of scab resistance of their fruits - but not their leaves - (resistance to fruit scab is possibly due to the more porous skin of russets absorbing the rain water and therefore depriving the fungal spores of the water they need to germinate).

    Here is a link to a well-regarded nursery near to you. They offer scab resistance scores for the apples they supply:
    Fruit trees
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    • #3
      Thanks FB you have confirmed what I was thinking.
      I can put up with funny looking skin but my Grand-daughter says she doesn't "do" scabs!
      I am considering replacing it with a Bramley, then we can have lots of lovely apple pies!

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      • #4
        Bramley also has a reputation for scab in wet areas. I can only offer my observations from my drier part of the country - which is that my Bramley is fairly resistant to all diseases. How it responds to scab under high rainfall, appears to be subject to some debate.
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        • #5
          I will let you know how we get on should we ever get around to getting one.
          My next door neighbour has one that fruits beautifully with no disease, so fingers crossed.

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          • #6
            Our school Garden Club has just received a free gift of a Gala and a Lord Lambourne. We have nowhere to put them! I don't even know what rootstock they are on, Morrisons' label just says "semi dwarfing"

            The head is under the impression you can just pop an apple tree anywhere. He's already planted a ruddy great horse chestnut in the sunniest part of the garden, and 2 oaks in the veg plot, taking all the light
            Last edited by Two_Sheds; 03-02-2011, 07:28 AM.
            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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            • #7
              "Semi-dwarfing" normally refers to either M26 or MM106.
              M26 tends to have either a large bulge at the graft, or the rootstock is much thicker than the grafted trunk.
              MM106 often has clusters of very short roots (called "burrs") coming out of the above-ground portion of the rootstock.

              The most commonly used rootstock (on trees for sale to the public) is MM106 and I suspect that is what you'll have.

              The "official" classification of rootstocks is:

              M27: extremely dwarfing
              M9: dwarfing
              M26: semi-dwarfing
              MM106: semi-dwarfing (sometimes referred to as semi-vigorous)
              MM111: vigorous
              M25: very vigorous

              The actual size and vigour of the tree will also be influenced by the vigour of the variety grafted onto the rootstock, and on the soil type.
              You can make a size estimate using this calculator:
              Fruit tree mature height calculator

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              • #8
                MM106 "burrs"


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                • #9
                  M26 swelling and rootstock overgrowth:


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                  • #10
                    nice piccies FB

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                    • #11
                      Thanks FB, very informative. The estimator says final height between 8'-10'. That's still too tall, I wonder if I could grow them as cordons.
                      I'm going to plant them today, goodness knows where. I've been given a 22' x 5' strip that already has an oak and a buddleja in it
                      Last edited by Two_Sheds; 04-02-2011, 07:43 AM.
                      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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