The environment is replete with microorganisms and spores of all kinds of fungi, which are in an inert state and are waiting for the right moment. Dampness combined with heat provokes the appearance of mold on the apple tree. At the same time, healthy apple trees can cope with fungal infections. It is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of trees and promptly treat them if mold damage is detected.
Reasons for appearance
The following are the causes of mold:
- The presence of a wound on a tree is a direct path for fungi.
- Excessive humidity and heat.
- The appearance of moisture on the bark as a result of untimely or insufficient pruning of the garden does not create sufficient ventilation.
- Failure to carry out preventive actions: pruning trees, spraying against diseases and pests before and after bud break, using sprinkling when watering, monitoring the condition of trees, whitewashing trunks to prevent burns from exposure to the sun.
Types of mold
The following types of mold are distinguished:
- Sooty - appears on bark, foliage, branches, fruits in the form of a black coating. This type of mold finds nutrition in the liquid flowing from the tree, and also feeds on the remains of insects such as aphids and moths. Accordingly, insects are less dangerous than the resulting disease. At the same time, fruits affected by dark spots are edible, they simply have an unmarketable appearance and are poorly preserved (they rot quickly).
- Powdery mildew, also called white mildew. A white powdery dirty coating forms on the foliage, then acquires a brown tint, the branches dry out and turn yellow, and fruit does not set.
- Scab is found in the form of many brownish spots with a rough structure on the fruit. The cause is excessive humidity, stagnant air in the foliage area. At first it is invisible, mold affects the leaves, and greenish spots with a brown tint form on the inside. Afterwards the mold moves to the apples.
- The lichen is not dangerous to the tree because it has no roots and the fungus does not drink apple juice. This type of mold lives together with single-celled organisms that produce food for both of them. There are different colors: gray, with a hint of silver, yellow with a greenish tint, blue. The formation of this type of mold indicates that the tree has weakened.It should be taken into account that pathogens of certain diseases and insects survive the winter well in them.
- Red - manifests itself in the formation of red cankers with a brownish tint on the tree. It is called cytosporosis - a fungal infection of the bark. It affects the tree in a similar way to black cancer. The only difference is that with cytosporosis, the apple tree can be saved. If you delay, the infection will spread rapidly. All fruit crops will be in danger. On the affected bark, plates of a whitish, black or grayish hue are visible. Upon careful inspection, the threads can be distinguished.
- Black, called canker, this disease leads to the death of the tree within five years. The danger lies in the fact that the entire garden may suffer. Drastic measures: remove and burn all affected branches, treat the wounds with a 5% vitriol solution and spread with varnish.
How to get rid of mold on an apple tree
When mold appears on a tree, it is important to find out the cause of the damage and what mistakes were made. This is the only way to overcome the fungus and rid the garden of danger. It is important to determine the line of treatment. Although young apple trees are less susceptible to damage, the fungus can overcome them too.
Young trees are easier to treat; it is necessary to treat them with active chemicals, regardless of the timing of fruit harvesting. Bordeaux mixture and other preparations containing copper are used. These include: “Skor”, “HOM”, “Topaz”.
Mature trees that have an ovary can be treated with a soda solution (170 g per 15 l). If after treatment the tree drops its fruits, it’s not scary. It will be easier for him to endure the winter by giving away the harvest. In autumn, trees need to be rejuvenated as much as possible and the trunks whitened.
On the roots
Most often, the root is not affected by mold.It can be infected by a bacterium that can cause black cancer, the most dangerous disease.
On the trunk
If mold appears on the trunks of an apple tree, you must:
- first you need to determine the extent of the damage: open the bark with a knife, if it falls off well, has a brownish tint, is friable, eggs or larvae are present - the affected area is extensive, it is necessary to treat the tree;
- clean thoroughly with a scraper, spatula, brush;
- collect and burn waste;
- spray with a copper-based preparation;
- It is recommended to wipe the trunk and large branches with the following composition: ash, salt, grated laundry soap (6:1:1 parts) and boil.
- disinfect with protective putty.
On leaves and branches
To preserve foliage and branches you must:
- In the spring, before the first leaves appear, treat the soil and the tree itself with chemicals: copper sulfate, DNOC 1%, Nitrafen (400 g per 15 l).
- In the last days of April, treat with 4% Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride or cuproxate. When affected by powdery mildew, it is recommended to treat with the preparation “HOM”.
- During the formation of buds and after the flowering process, Bordeaux mixture of 1% concentration is used.
- After 20 days after the flowering process, the tree is treated with a suspension of flatane, zineb or captan.
- To avoid repeated damage next year, it is recommended to collect fallen leaves and dig up the ground.
Some gardeners recommend using traditional methods, but with severe damage they may not be effective. Treat with infusion of chamomile, ash and garlic. They are harmless and are an excellent remedy for aphids.
On the fruits
Damage to apples may be fruit rot. In this case, not only the fruits are affected, but also the foliage.It is a very dangerous disease because it is discovered after the flowering process, when spoiled fruits appear on the tree. Rot affects apples before they ripen. The most optimal solution to the problem is to prevent the disease. Necessary:
- carry out preventive treatment using Nitrafen emulsion 220 g per 10 l of liquid, DNOC - 200 g per 10 l, colloidal sulfur suspension - 120 g per 10 l;
- collect the affected fruits and destroy them, disposal takes place away from the garden;
- Carry out a preventive inspection and treatment of the tree; the trunk must be free of cracks.
Features of treatment by season
Each stage of growth requires special attention and preventive and therapeutic measures.
in autumn
It is important to carry out the following activities:
- collect and dispose of rotten fruits, affected bark and foliage;
- spray after harvesting the fruits with a solution of “Zakhvat Oil” (40 ml) and copper sulfate 500 g per 10 l;
- in November, whitewash the trunk with the following solution: lime, clay, water (2:1:7 parts).
in spring
In spring, the chances of stopping the formation of diseases are higher. If qualified and on time process the apple tree, the fruits will be intact. Preparations used in the spring will disintegrate and will not cause any harm.
The step-by-step processing scheme looks like this:
- Until the buds open in the first half of March. Will allow you to eliminate wintering pests and prevent diseases. You can use “Capture Oil” (170 ml) and “Gart” (35 g) per 12 liters. Or prepare Bordeaux liquid: copper sulfate (120 g) and quicklime (210 g) per 12 liters. Such treatment is effective against diseases.
- Before and during the period of bud break in the last days of March - in the first of April. Pests wake up, and this is also another effective mold prevention.It is recommended to treat with Bordeaux mixture (more than 2 weeks have passed since the last spraying) or ash solution. The drug "Guardian" (3 ml per 5 l) is very effective against fungal diseases. During flowering, the apple tree is not sprayed so as not to harm the bees. But if there is damp, warm weather for a long time, the risk of mold development increases. It is recommended to use Fundazim 12 g per 5 liters.
- After flowering to prevent powdery mildew and scab. Traditional methods: infusion of ash. The following drugs will give the result: a mixture of “Antigusin” (4 ml), “Boxwood” (3.5 ml), “Zakhvat Oil” (45 ml) and “Anticlesch Pro” (12 ml).
Diseases become active at any time, so you should not limit yourself to one-time spraying.
Best Mold Remedies
When deciding how to treat apple trees, it is important to know that everything depends on the growth period. According to the growing technique, the tree is sprayed up to 11 times during the entire season, as it is attacked by a large number of diseases and harmful insects.
Effective:
- "Topaz";
- "Boxwood";
- "Topsin";
- "DNOC";
- copper sulfate;
- "HOM";
- "Fundazim";
- colloidal sulfur.
Prevention Tips
To protect your garden from mold damage, it is important to immediately carry out the appropriate care:
- do sanitary cleaning: trim dead branches;
- treat the sections with dissolved iron sulfate;
- remove and burn foliage in the fall;
- spray with products that have a wide range of effects: “Vectra”, “Skor”, “Cumulus”, Bordeaux mixture.
Growing a garden is quite a painstaking task, despite the unpretentiousness of apple trees. It is important to thoroughly monitor the condition of the tree and its trunk, carry out preventive treatments and carry out timely treatment if mold is detected.
