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Apple tree disease help please

emmamatthew68emmamatthew68 Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
Can anybody help identify what's on my apple tree please? Is it treatable? 

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,297
    It's lichen, natural, harmless, no treatment needed :)
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 9,874
    Yes the lichen is nothing to worry about - perfectly natural.

    As to the lumps on the branch you're holding, the only apple disease I'm familiar with is canker, or possibly some kind of gall.

    Hopefully someone will have the answer.

    Great-looking espalier - hope we can help get it back to good health.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 21,255
    The lichen is a sign of fresh clean air. The lumps and bumps may be burr knots - see here

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/problems/burr-knots-on-apple-trees

    The crack in the trunk is not good. disease will enter there. Not much you can do about it as it’s pretty big.

    The black gnarly bit in the middle of the crack is a crown gall. Interesting but not a problem in itself.

    Your main worry is the crack.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • emmamatthew68emmamatthew68 Posts: 3
    I really hope I can save it the split goes quiet deep in the trunk. I did try find a fruit tree expert near to me to come look at them (have that apple, 2 pear also espalier and 1 plum fan) but cannot find anybody to help me locally in Devon.
  • emmamatthew68emmamatthew68 Posts: 3
    Can I fill the crack with anything? Or  apply something to lower the risk of disease getting in?  iIt happened during the summer last year and just got bigger. Really want to try my best to keep it going along as possible in the beat health I can so any advice is greatly appreciated.
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 21,255
    Filling the crack would probably lock bacteria and fungi inside it. It will probably have been caused by something quite innocent, maybe a scratch or a cut near the soil surface. It will continue to grow.

    Just keep your fingers crossed that it doesn’t get infected.

    Trees grow all the time with cracks in them. Some are lucky, some are not.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
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