Poorly cherry tree.

[SarahJane]

I have a cherry tree in my front garden. For the last two years it has blossomed and fruited but it has also had a nasty disease. The leaves at the end of the branches get covered in this horrible black stuff and shrivel up. It doesnt affect all of the leaves on the tree, mostly the end leaves but some in the middle.
I have had to cut the worst of them off there and then, as it looks terrible and I also didnt want it to spread. Which also leaves a strange shaped tree!!
Is there anything I can do if it returns this year. And more importantly, does anyone know what it is?
Apart from that it is really healthy and is growing well, sos I dont want to have to get rid of it and it fruits really well too.

[george]

Is it the younger leaves that get shriveled? Is the black stuff on the underside of the leaves?

Could it be black aphids covering the leaves? Aphids cause the leaves to shrivel and I have had this problem on my cherry tree.

[SarahJane]

Yes! It is all on the under sides of the leaves. So what should I do to protect it this year? Have you any ideas? It is such a shame as it is right in the centre of the front garden and is a lovely tree, and I also bought it and planted it in memory of my mum so I really want to protect it. I would be really upset if I had to get rid of it.

[george]

There is some useful info on controlling the black cherry aphid here

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r105300811.html

You need to treat it in early spring.

Unless you have a extremely heavy infestation, it won't kill the tree and you will still get fruit from it but they always look very sad when infested.

Make sure it is not stressed in any other way (has plenty of water etc.) and the tree will be fine.

I don't like sprays so try and squash the aphids when they first appear to keep numbers low. You get covered in black slimy stuff so it is not a good solution for everyone but I don't mind it!

Hope that helps.

[SarahJane]

Thanks for the info and for the link. I will try and be vigilant and watch out for the little blighters!
At the moment it is blossoming and looks very healthy and very pretty. But time will tell.

[Annpan]

You could try a spray made with rhubarb leaves (from the ish-bible - put 2-4 rhubarb leaves in a bucket of water for a few weeks and use the resulting liquid as a spray) or you could use a weak washing up liquid solution.

Good luck.. Cherry trees are so pretty, it is a shame to see them look bad.

[JR]

Hi Ann

I have read that the ruhbarb solution can be used on a number of plants, is there anywhere you shouldn't use it?

Thanks

[Annpan]

I have read that rhubarb leaves are incredibly acidic (high levels of oxalic acid) which break down safely when composted but I would imagine that the solution is not good to use on any acid hating plant... but I wonder if it would do your acid loving plants a favour???

The intention of the solution is just to kill off (or wash off) the beasties, I'd guess that any tree that is suffering would benefit...

I am no expert though

[JR]

Hi Ann

A list of plants as, do and donts would be good if we have an expert! Is there much in the bible, I should treat myself to a copy?

Thanks

[Annpan]

Well JR you should buy the book anyway cause it is great and covers hundreds of topics... it doesn't have anything other than the recipe for rhubarb spray though and my internet searches have been fruitless ('scuse the pun)

Potatoes like an acid soil as do blueberries, but I can't find a list and I don't have much knowledge myself, so can't compile one.

I reckon, if using the rhubarb spray you don't use it excessively, and only if you have an aphid problem. Whatever the consequences of using it on alkaline loving plants it is still better than using chemicals or loosing the plant to aphids.

[JR]

Cheers Ann, hopefully no issues on the plot but will keep my eyes open.

[Millymollymandy]

Don't spray during the day - wait till evening, if you really have to spray. I think that rhubarb being highly toxic is one of those so called organic pesticides that kills everything willy nilly, like nicotine.

Personally I would not use a pesticide like that on anything. Why not try soapy water which is quite effective on aphids, or squidge them off by hand whilst spraying. The soapy water helps clean the aphids off your finger tips at the same time.

Obviously if your tree is huge that's not really an option - but if your tree is mature it will quite naturally have all sorts of 'bad' insects, fungus and lord knows what on it, which is perfectly normal. You should see my trees (fruit or otherwise). There's not a single tree without leaves curled up, covered in caterpillars and webbing, gone black at the tips or just plain shrivelled up...... it's just part of the natural yearly cycle of a tree. In 99% of cases the tree doesn't die!

[SarahJane]

I just thought that I would update you on the cherry tree as I am soo chuffed! I took the advice from here and read up on it a bit too and as the blossom began to fall I sprayed the tree (or as much of it as I could reach) and have since just watched to see what would happen this year.
It looks fantastic! The leaves are all healthy, not one shrivelled leaf and it is covered in cherries which are bigger than previous years and are almost ready to pick.
Thanks everyone!!!

[Millymollymandy]

Glad you got cherries in the end but what did you spray with?

[SarahJane]

I used a solution of warm soapy water with a small amount of green/black fly killer added to the bottle. I sisnt want to use a pesticide really so I didnt put much in there. It certainly seems to have done the trick though!