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Apple Scab in Apple Tree
How to identify and treat apple scab in Apple Tree.
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Apple Tree care requirements
water
Regularly when young. Water deeply in drought.
soil
Well-draining, fertile soil. pH 6.0–7.0.
light
Full sun — 8+ hours for fruiting.
symptoms
Symptoms to look for in Apple Tree
Olive-green to black velvety spots on leaves and scabby, corky lesions on fruit skin, often causing premature leaf drop in wet years.
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Common causes in Apple Tree
The fungus Venturia inaequalis overwinters in fallen leaves under the tree and releases spores during the same cool, wet spring weather that triggers blossom, making the disease especially hard to avoid in rainy climates.
healing
How to treat apple scab in Apple Tree
Remove and destroy fallen leaves each autumn to reduce the following year's spore load, and apply fungicide sprays from bud break through early summer in wet seasons.
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Preventing apple scab in Apple Tree
Plant scab-resistant apple varieties where possible, prune for good airflow through the canopy, and rake up and dispose of fallen leaves and fruit promptly.