hairy apple tree

[divvy]

Can anyone tell me if it's normal for all the last years shoots on a braeburn ballerina apple tree to be hairy like antlers and grey in colour . My Mum and I both have one and they both look like this . Also . anyone know the difference between green sulphur and lime sulphur . Thank you .

[Nicos]

Not very sure

Lime sulphur is very, very alkaline and used to control fungi, insects and bacteria when a tree is dormant . It's one of the chemicals you need to wear protective clothing and goggles with( I recall it's used to age bonsai bark) and is sprayed on in liquid form.
It's what the French used to control powdery mildew on their vines.

[sarraceniac]

It could just be the dreaded Botrytis blight. If it is Botrytis then GYO's own Miss Marple may soon be investigating the death of a Braeburn plus any other trees near it unless you act quickly. Hope it isn't but it could be.

Can you post photos?

[FB.]

Probably woolly aphid.
Very common in warmer/drier parts of the UK, especially where apple trees are in partial shade, or overcrowded. Some rootstocks are very prone to woolly aphid. The MM series have moderate resistance to woolly aphid (MM106 is the most common, MM111 is available if you search hard).

Woolly aphid is very difficult to get rid of with any chemical because the white furry coat protects them. Brush or scrub them off - but it gets very messy, so wear gloves. Some people scrub them with meths, which suffocates or crushes them.
Additionally, they infest the roots, which are very difficult to treat because the soil soaks up any chemicals and you can't scrub the roots.

If it is woolly aphid, you need to act soon, otherwise the tree will get lots of lumpy growths all over the stems and roots, which then split open and allow diseases to enter.
Very vigorous trees can live with woolly aphid without intervention. Dwarf trees will be crippled within a couple of seasons unless you help them.

[FB.]

These pics show woolly aphid and the lumpy growths, with split and distorted stems:

[divvy]

Right , it't deff not woolly aphids . It just looks like velvet like on antlers , my other trees are the same but not quite so thick . You can scrape it off with your fingernail , it feels a bit waxy when on your finger and the bark underneath is normal. Mum says where do you buy lime sulphur .

[sarraceniac]

If you Google 'buy lime sulphur' you will get a few suppliers. Rather more effective, but nearly as dangerous, in MHO is Bordeaux mixture. A bit more manageable for fungal infections. A search on eBay will show suppliers.

[Nicos]

Urrmmm,,,I think what you are describing is natural I'm sure I've seen it on other apple trees...

*goes off to chew a bit of cud and think about it.

[Nicos]

OK!
* staggers in from windblown garden/field!


Right- I have 4 types of apple tree- the Reinette Clochard has exactly the same thing as you describe- (you have to rub it really hard to remove it - down to the 'usual' red/brown of the stem). The other three don't.

It doesn't have the feel of a fungal growth to be honest- the plant looks really healthy and just starting to open it's buds.
Either I have the same problem as you- or it's something to do with the genetics of the variety
I do have a Reinette de Canada- and that doesn't have it- but maybe it's not a close enough 'cousin'?

* goes off to chew on another piece of cud....

[sarraceniac]

Is this it?

[Nicos]

(Mine's nothing like that- just on last years growth)

[Nicos]

Hmm...look at this...
Crab Apple - Malus sylvestris, species information page

quote..."Young branches can be hairy "...talking about crab apples

My tree is young- and I recall FB talking about 'reverting back to crab apple' when talking about growing trees from pips.

So- that still makes me feel that some varieties have inherited the hairyness trait on young branches??????

What to you think???

[Nicos]

Oh- and look ye here folks....

Apple Tree Leaf Identification | eHow.com

quote "" leaves on the southern crabapple are hairy when the tree is young, but lose this attribute as the tree matures. "

[sarraceniac]

Dunno, Nicos. Why can't they just show photos? 1 picture etc.

[Nicos]

In defence- I can't post my own piccies cos I don't seem to be able to reduce the size.
I've only just remember how to put the piccies on the laptop.

Yup- one day I'll find out/get the hang/ remember how to do it after a month's break!

Some of us just aren't very wise in the handling of these things ( embarrased smilie- cos I don't know how to get that back either!!!!!)
sad or what eh? But at least I'm not the only one !!!! ( huge grin and a wink)