On some areas of the apple tree's bark, a reddish-brown hue appears, and when attempting to detach it, it becomes mushy. Thin branches completely dry out and are covered with black bumps. What is the cause of this disease and how can it be dealt with?
This question is answered by experienced gardener and agronomist Alexander KHOROBROVETS:
- Judging by your description, this could be cytosporosis (infectious drying). In combating this disease, agrotechnical measures play a key role: timely and proper pruning, application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, as well as regular watering. To prevent sunburn and frost cracks on the trees, it is necessary to whitewash the trunks and skeletal branches (for 10 liters of water: 2-3 kg of lime, 300 g of copper sulfate, and 1 kg of clay) in late autumn and spring (in March). Affected branches should be pruned and burned.
In early spring, it is necessary to carefully clean the affected areas of the bark down to healthy tissue with a sharp knife, disinfect the wounds with 1% copper or 3% iron sulfate (dissolve 10-30 g of the preparation in 1 liter of warm water in a glass container), rub with sorrel, and seal the wounds with garden varnish or cover with oil paint made on natural linseed oil (for 200 g of linseed oil, take 100 g of ochre).
