homegrownbucks
5 year old buck +
I have several apple trees in an area that have dead leaves on the lower branches, but the upper ones are still green. Any ideas on what is happening?
Apple tree problem
- Thread starter homegrownbucks
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I have several apple trees in an area that have dead leaves on the lower branches, but the upper ones are still green. Any ideas on what is happening?
Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
My best guess is what you’re seeing is a fireblight infection. For me, the “giveaway” is the dying of a whole branch. I don’t think that is the definitive confirmation, but it's what I always see on my trees that get infected with this disease. More here on what to look for… https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/fire-blight.
chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
I'm not positive on it being fireblight but I don't have much else to suggest either. Any chance they were hit with a herbicide?
If it is FB, those trees are highly susceptible if it can kill whole branches. Fireblight usually starts at tender new growth (unless maybe you had hail recently) and then the bacterial infection grows into older wood. How far depends on how resistant it is to the infection. If it made it to the main trunk, the infection can girdle the cambium layer all the way around. In that case, everything above won't leaf out next spring. I had that happen on some young apple trees but I was able to cut the trees off below the fireblight infection and the trees recovered over the last two years.
If it is FB, those trees are highly susceptible if it can kill whole branches. Fireblight usually starts at tender new growth (unless maybe you had hail recently) and then the bacterial infection grows into older wood. How far depends on how resistant it is to the infection. If it made it to the main trunk, the infection can girdle the cambium layer all the way around. In that case, everything above won't leaf out next spring. I had that happen on some young apple trees but I was able to cut the trees off below the fireblight infection and the trees recovered over the last two years.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
I would like to see better pictures but here are some thoughts:
1. It almost looks like I am seeing some yellowing leaves with dead (brown) leaves behind them closer to the trunk. If that is the case, it wouldn't be fireblight. When fireblight strikes a limb, everything is demolished back to the point where the infection eventually stops.
2. Fireblight generally strikes mid spring to late spring rather than at this time of year. Also the leaves turn extremely black rather than brown. Those leaves are not the color of limbs killed with fireblight that I have witnessed.
3. Several apple diseases (including common scab) can yellow leaves and eventually turn them brown. It is hard to differentiate what the disease is without a close inspection.
4. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I have never seen fireblight go that deep into the limbs of a mature tree. Pictures can be deceiving, but it looks as if the dead leaves go all the way back to the trunk. A tree that susceptible to fireblight should have encountered it years ago and probably died a long time ago rather then being affected by it for the first time this late in life.
5. The first thing I noticed about those pictures was the deep shade that tree appears to be in. I wonder if part of the problem is lack of sunlight - especially at the bottom of the tree, which can lead to many problems. Apple tree struggle when they are deprived of sunlight, and it makes them more prone to diseases. Also, most tree species shed lower limbs when they lack sunlight.
Good luck with your trees.
1. It almost looks like I am seeing some yellowing leaves with dead (brown) leaves behind them closer to the trunk. If that is the case, it wouldn't be fireblight. When fireblight strikes a limb, everything is demolished back to the point where the infection eventually stops.
2. Fireblight generally strikes mid spring to late spring rather than at this time of year. Also the leaves turn extremely black rather than brown. Those leaves are not the color of limbs killed with fireblight that I have witnessed.
3. Several apple diseases (including common scab) can yellow leaves and eventually turn them brown. It is hard to differentiate what the disease is without a close inspection.
4. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I have never seen fireblight go that deep into the limbs of a mature tree. Pictures can be deceiving, but it looks as if the dead leaves go all the way back to the trunk. A tree that susceptible to fireblight should have encountered it years ago and probably died a long time ago rather then being affected by it for the first time this late in life.
5. The first thing I noticed about those pictures was the deep shade that tree appears to be in. I wonder if part of the problem is lack of sunlight - especially at the bottom of the tree, which can lead to many problems. Apple tree struggle when they are deprived of sunlight, and it makes them more prone to diseases. Also, most tree species shed lower limbs when they lack sunlight.
Good luck with your trees.
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