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My Dad has four fruit trees. 1 plum, 1 pear and 2 apple. The plum and pear are flourishing but hes informed me that the apples arent so good. He said they end up small and and sometimes a bit mouldy. He also says the leaves have some kind of black spot too.

Is there anything he can do? They were planted about 3 years ago. He had 4 large holes dug and backfilled them with loads organic matter.

Is there a good organic feed he could try perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as hes considering pulling them up and starting again. It seems a shame to commit them to the grave if they have a chance of surviving.

Thanks

MEW

My parents have had apples trees in their back garden for years, they were not producing many apples and so they have planted some more. More than 2 trees means a bigger crop on all the trees.

Not sure about the black spot and mould though.

Hi from downunder, black spot can be controlled with copper oxychloride in the form of a wettable powder. I am not sure how organic it is, so it would pay to find out first. Copper is natural, so it could be. You should be able to buy it, or similar at your local garden centre.
If the black spot is already on the leaves you will have to wait until next season. The time to put it on is at bud burst and green tip, leaf fall and winter dormancy. Make sure that all foliage, buds and stems are covered. Copper oxychloride is a general purpose fungicide and bactericide. It controls black spot, fire blight, European canker, leaf curl, shot hole (die back), bacterial spot and stone fruit blast.
Robin

It's known as Bordeaux Mix in the UK and is considered organic, although becoming less so these days as it has been proven that the copper sulphate can build up in the soil over the decades.

But if you just use it say twice a year, on a few trees, I don't think it will be a major problem. It's the commercial growers using the stuff we need to worry about!

It's good for peach trees too - is supposed to combat peach leaf curl.

* I don't think it does anything for bacterial spot on peaches though, previous research of mine showed there was nothing available to non commercial growers to help this.

Hi
I am wondering if the size of the apples may be due to the trees being so young. You could try knocking about a third of the immature apples off (after the "June drop" has taken its toll) and see if the others bulk up.

Water supply might also be a problem if they are immature trees. Their roots might not be deep enough to get enough water to swell the fruit. Especially with the fluctuating rainfall that we have experienced in the last 3 or 4 years.

I have had several apple trees of different ages over the years. You always end up with some mouldy ones. I wouldn't worry too much if it's just one or two. Knock them off if you spot them and get rid of them to stop them tainting the others.

It is vital that there is good air flow between the each fruit. Make sure they are not touching each other or that leaves aren't touching the fruit. I have noticed that if the fruit touch each other then they almost always go mouldy.

You don't say how the trees are pruned but it I think it is a good idea to follow one of the standard pruning methods so that you end up with good air flow around the tree.

Cheers
Zoe

Gidday

Actually mate copper oxichloride is not boreaux mixture. Bordeaux is a mixture of copper sulphate and lime but copper oxichloride is copper in a completely different form.

I would suggest, to try to keep more organic you should try to keep them sprayed from spring right through with aerated compost tea. That way you are keeping good bacteria on the leaves which should keep off the pathagens.

Ok Jack I ain't no chemist!

Gidday

Neever am I.

Sorry about that. I wasn't trying to get at you but it's just that the two chemicals are different and used for slightly differnt jobs.

I guess we must remember that we are in different countries and have different chemicals available to us - I've never heard of copper oxiwhatsit; I just saw the word copper and associated it with Bordeaux Mix!

Blimey

thanks for all the advice guys and gals. Have to say SSSish is my bible for all gardening needs, dont know what Id do without it these days.

I shall go back to my Dad and tell him everything youve told me (if I can remember - maybe I might print it off (in duplex of course)!!)

Thanks again

MEW