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Fire Blight in Apple Tree
How to identify and treat fire blight 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
Blossoms, shoots, and young leaves turn black and shrivel as if scorched by fire, often with shoot tips curling into a distinctive 'shepherd's crook' shape.
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Common causes in Apple Tree
Caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, which enters through blossoms or wounds and spreads rapidly through the tree's vascular tissue, especially favoured by warm, wet spring weather during flowering.
healing
How to treat fire blight in Apple Tree
Prune out infected branches at least 30cm below any visible symptoms, sterilising pruning tools with alcohol or bleach solution between every single cut to avoid spreading the bacteria.
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Preventing fire blight in Apple Tree
Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which produces soft, vulnerable growth, and prune during dry weather since the bacteria spread most easily when wet.