Why can the leaves of an apple tree turn yellow and dry, what to do and how to treat it

During growth, fruit trees are often exposed to negative external influences and die. Unstable weather, frosts and the development of infections may damage the trunk, leaves and crown of green spaces. When wondering why the leaves of an apple tree turn yellow, it is necessary to understand the causes of the problem and take restoration measures.

Common Causes of Yellowing Leaves and Their Solutions

In practice, gardeners are faced with a number of standard reasons due to which the leaves of apple trees change color, after which they dry out and fall off. Having found out the exact cause, based on certain symptoms, it will be possible to find a solution and save the plant.

Why do the leaves turn yellow?

In most situations, yellowing of vegetation is caused by improper care or the presence of an external irritant. Methods for plant health depend on the specific cause of the disease.

Diseases

A common disease of apple trees is fruit rot. A pronounced sign of the disease is yellowing of the leaves in early June with the onset of the first warm weather.

To prevent diseases, it is necessary to treat seedlings with products from the fungicidal category.

Pests

The leaves and buds of trees are most often affected by the hawthorn mite, which is capable of sucking out the nutritional components necessary for proper growth and intensive fruiting. Weakened leaves fall off and yields are significantly reduced. To repel pests, spraying with insecticidal preparations is required.

Feeding

A lack of nutrients in the soil slows down the development of new shoots and negatively affects the growth of foliage. It is recommended to fertilize the soil on which apple trees are grown with the addition of iron and phosphorus.

Fertilizers

It is necessary to fertilize the soil with fruit plantings several times during the season. Suitable fertilizers:

• ammonium nitrate;
• humus;
• infusion of chicken manure.

Groundwater

The accumulation of groundwater in excess amounts leads to rotting of the roots.As a result, the disease spreads to the upper part of the trees, and the bulk of the leaves turn yellow. To prevent this problem, you should choose the right planting location.

Problems arising on a young apple tree

The problem of yellowing foliage occurs more often on young seedlings than on established trees. Newly planted apple trees should be given careful care so that the plants adapt to their surrounding conditions.

Yellowing of seedlings

Changes in the color of leaves on seedlings occur due to an incorrectly selected location or depth. In the wrong place, the roots will not have enough oxygen due to increased soil moisture. Exceeding the planting depth by 10-15 cm also interferes with the development of roots.

Seasonal yellowing of leaves

Destruction of foliage on apple trees should be combatted taking into account the current season. Inexperienced gardeners often find that leaf growth deteriorates in early spring and during hot periods.

Spring

The appearance of yellow leaves in spring is caused by brown spot or scab. Fallen leaves must be raked and destroyed, and the tree must be treated with Bordeaux mixture.

Summer

With the onset of heat, rapid yellowing of vegetation is provoked by an excess or severe lack of microelements. The disease may also be associated with physiological disturbances in the life of trees.

Other causes of yellowing

There are special cases when apple trees wither and their fruits fall off. Each case has individual symptoms.

On specific branches

A partial change in the color of the vegetation indicates that individual branches are affected by aphids or the roots are freezing. The cause may also be a deficiency of nutritional components.

Yellowing and drying

The reason why the leaves dry out is due to the formation of a fungus or damage from pests that suck out nutrients.To prevent the problem, periodic prophylaxis is recommended.

Twisting and falling

Sucking of juices from the green part of the crown by aphids leads to curling and death of the shoots. To destroy pests, treatment with specialized preparations or folk remedies is required.

Fading leaves

The acquisition of a pale color occurs as a result of a plant disease with chlorosis. If chlorosis appears at the initial stage, spraying with copper sulfate is carried out to eliminate the disease.

Solving problems on different varieties and rootstocks

It is necessary to decide what to do if problems are detected in the development of an apple tree, taking into account the variety being grown and the type of rootstock.

The method of dealing with the problem and the choice of how to treat the plant depend on the type of tree.

Yellowing of a columnar apple tree

Columnar varieties of apple trees are more often affected by rodents than others. To stimulate the growth of adventitious roots, hilling is required. This method is effective on dwarf plants, since the low-growing roots of young seedlings do not need a large amount of nutrition.

Yellowing of the apple tree Krasa Sverdlovsk

When growing the Krasa Sverdlovsk variety, there is a high probability of developing powdery mildew. The disease is characterized not only by a change in foliage color, but also by the appearance of a pronounced white coating. As the infection progresses, the green part of the crop becomes deformed and dries out. To eliminate the consequences of powdery mildew, treatment with colloidal sulfur is carried out.

Useful tips for caring for an apple tree

To reduce the risk of trees wilting, it is necessary to regularly care for them.Apple trees require periodic watering, visual inspection to detect disease symptoms, fertilization and preventative treatments. Proper and timely care contributes to intensive development and increased yield.