Deformed/ infected apples.

[MisterB]

Hi,
Some of the apples, <10% , on my 8 year old Sunset have started exhibiting a problem, they go "lumpy", no obvious insect damage, gradually go miscoloured. I cut some open and no obvious internal sign of insects. They don't look like anything obviously the same as pests/diseases I've looked up. I have noticed the odd brown spot on some leaves, but it's not very widespread. Another nearby tree is unaffected (for now ?)

Photos on attached link.

Any Ideas ?

Cheers.

[nickdub]

Could it be a lack of moisture at the roots coupled with the very hot weather we've been having ? If your tree is on a very dwarfing rootstock then obviously the amount of roots even after 8 years maybe quite small.

[Jungle Jane]

Mine did that one year,I put it down to lack of water,slightly dehydrated fruit. Since then I make sure to water in dry spells. Also a bit of fertiliser looks after them,I use BFB in the early spring,then water with seaweed or a tomato feed high in potassium when they have fruit on.

[ameno]

My Ben's Red did that last year and the year before. It was still a young tree at the time, so i think it was lack of water that did it.

[MisterB]

Many thanks all, I'm pretty sure it was a dwarfing rootstock...so ill keep an eye on it in dry conditions and start to feed it a bit.

Thanks again for the responses.

[nickdub]

Don't try to watch for problems with fruit if we get very dry weather. By the time you spot an effect it will be too late.


Just water around trees etc if we have dry weather in the early Summer, and they have set young fruit. A hose left on a trickle near the trunk for a few hours will usually do the trick.

[MisterB]

cheers nickdub , will do.

[nickdub]

cheers nickdub , will do.

You're very welcome - Happy gardening :-)