I am experimenting with low-chill apples at my home in coastal South
Carolina, and have felt that these had some possiblities. I know I'm
stretching the limits of apple range, but I love my apples.
The oldest tree, a Pink Lady semi-dwarf, is loaded with apples this year.
After some tree training last year, it blossomed well this spring and I got
good pollination. I did some hand thinning, probably not enough.
I've not felt it necessary to spray - no insect damage on the fruit, and
minimal insect damage on the leaves. The fruit has sized up nicely, and
other than cosmetic green spots on the skins (which I can live with), I had
reason to expect a couple bushels of fruit from this tree.
It is just starting to show color. However many of the fruits are getting a
lesion, which turns into a rot spot very quickly and spreads throughout the
apple within 3-4 days. I can see my anticipated crop evaporating...
I did some Internet searching, and find the symptoms are very similar to
those described at http://orgprints.org/13668/ on organic fruit in Europe.
So I wonder if it could be Diplodia seriata causing my problem as well.
While the description fits, there was little remedy suggested for the
problem.
Is it too late to save the remainder with a fungicide? What material would
I use?
Weather has been mid-90's, occasionally 100, high humidity, with quick and
heavy showers once or twice a week.
There are some other questions I'd like to run by the experts, but this one
is urgent...
Dave Green
Retired beekeeper/horticultural junkie
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