Armillaria root rot, also known as shoestring root rot, is a soilborne disease that can affect several fruit crops. However, it is most common in the eastern United States on peach and apple trees. Its host range also includes numerous species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, and woody vines. The greatest prevalence of the disease is in orchards planted on newly cleared land in which the soils are sandy and well-drained. In these locations, pieces of wood invaded by …
I grafted 10 apple trees in the spring and only a few of the grafts started growing. Can I reuse the rootstocks? What kind of grafting can I do now?
If your bench grafts do not take but the rootstock is healthy and growing, you certainly can re-graft them in the same season.
► The earliest option is chip budding and is done as early as late spring to early summer.
1. Remove a “chip” of scion tissue which includes a healthy axillary bud.
2. Remove a chip of comparable size from a healthy section of rootstock.
3. Place the previously crafted chip of scion in the place where the …
How do I determine the spacing between trees on a given rootstock for my apple orchard?
Determining the correct spacing for a rootstock/variety combination in a particular orchard is worth a lot of pre-planting thought and effort. Trees that are planted too close together for their vigor will be a struggle to maintain during every year for the life of the planting. Additionally, the amount and quality of fruit production will decline when inadequate light is available throughout the tree. On the other hand, trees that don’t have enough vigor to fill their spacing will result …
Are there restrictions to grafting my own apple trees?
Some cultivars of apple are under patent. If the patent is still applicable, then you must contact the nursery (or whoever holds the patent) and pay the royalty for each tree you propagate. Failure to do so could lead to criminal penalties, a monetary judgment (and/or fine), and destruction of the trees you propagated. Apple cultivars that are part of an exclusive club or licensing agreement are also illegal to propagate, and there usually is no avenue for a “non-club …
Can I grow apple trees in my windbreak?
The primary function of a windbreak is to reduce wind speed around areas in need of protection. If you are interested in having multiple species in your windbreak, apples might be a good choice.
- Locate the apple trees in interior or wind-sheltered rows as their tolerance to wind is not as great as that of other species.
- Place the apple trees closer than in a typical orchard, and plan for a reduced fruit yield, particularly if the windbreak plantings are
What is quince rust, and how do I identify and manage the disease on apple trees?
Quince rust is a fungus disease caused by Gymnosporangium clavipes. The fungus infects fruit, but not leaves, of most apple cultivars. It infects both leaves and fruit of hawthorn. Typically, an infection on apple fruit shows up first as a slightly raised purplish area on the calyx end of the fruit. On mature fruit, the lesion is sunken and dark green or purple. Usually, the entire calyx end of the fruit is involved, and the flesh is deformed to …
Quince Rust of Apple
Figure 1. Quince rust often forms orange tubes for spore dissemination. Photo: Alan R. Biggs, West Virginia University.Quince rust is a fungus disease caused by Gymnosporangium clavipes. The fungus infects fruit, but not leaves, of most apple cultivars. It infects both leaves and fruit of hawthorn.
Typically, an infection on apple fruit shows up first as a slightly raised purplish area on the calyx end of the fruit. On mature fruit, the lesion is sunken and dark green or purple …
I bought some Whitney crab apples for pickling. I ate one prior, and it was fine. After I did the pickling, I cut a few open and there was a brown ring around the core of the seeds. Do you know what might have caused this?
The brown flesh around the core may have been caused by a fungus such as Alternaria sp.that entered through the calyx early in the fruit’s development. The condition, called moldy core, often cannot be detected until the fruit is harvested and cut. Here is a note about moldy core from the University of Massachusetts Apple Team:
“Moldy Core: This disease causes a rot with visible fungal growth in the seed cavity and core of some apple cultivars, particularly Delicious …
What are the disease-resistant apple cultivars recommended for Wisconsin?
The following are some of the cultivars that will grow well in Wisconsin:
• Redfree: This is an early season, medium-sized, attractive red apple. You can store these apples up to 30 days.
• Prima: Prima produces medium to large fruit, red blushed on yellow skin. Mild, juicy, white flesh matures a week before McIntosh. You can store this apple for one to two months.
• Priscilla: This is a medium to large apple if you thin trees adequately after …
What causes the yellow leaf spots that later develop a brown center on my apple leaves?
This a fungal disease called cedar-apple rust. Cedar-apple rust is a common disease of apple and crabapple. The fungus that causes the disease, Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae, is unusual because it must spend a phase of its life cycle as a parasite on Juniperus species, such as red cedar or ornamental junipers. Control: Grow resistant apple or crabapple varieties. Apple varieties that normally show good to excellent resistance to cedar-apple rust include ‘Red Delicious’, ‘McIntosh’, ‘Arkansas Black’, ‘Winesap’, ‘Mollies Delicious’, ‘Spartan’, …