Does my apple tree think it's autumn or is it sick?

[d000hg]

I got 5 1-year whips which have now had 2 summers with me, 2 apples, 1 each of pear, plum and cherry. The cherry died but the others have all be doing well, especially one of the apples which has actually fruited quite heavily!

But this tree, which I think is the second apple, has suddenly started looking rather unwell. It almost looks like it's just preparing for winter but we've had plenty of sunny weather and it's a bit early, surely?! I planted it out into a medium size pot this pre-spring as I did the other apple (which has thrived). Can anyone suggest what is going on?

It is in a fairly shady spot, it gets full sun from late afternoon until sunset, but it has been doing just fine all year until the last week or so... put on plenty of leaves and new growth.

[Jay22]

Our plum and apple are both doing the same. They are in pots and I wonder if that's the problem or is it just autumn to them. We have a couple of large Japanese cherries in the garden, one of which is turning red already!

[FB.]

The picture you provided looks more like a pear.

The blackened leaf tips suggest the possibility of not enough water or too much fertiliser. Yellow leaves can be a sign of drought stress/under-watering, but can be the tree shedding leaves which are no longer gathering enough direct sunlight, or, due to cooling weather, it is shedding leaves as it prepares to go dormant for winter.

[FB.]

.....It is in a fairly shady spot.....

That's probably your answer.

[rosiepumpkin]

I'm in north London and my part shade grapevine has been coloring for autumn for the past fortnight. Even the ones in full sun are starting to colour. The trees have falling leaves and some are mostly brown already.

[d000hg]

That's probably your answer.

And it's waited until the sunniest time of year to decide it's not getting enough sun?!

It had fresh compost when planted in spring but has not been fertilised since then. It sounds like watering might be the issue, it doesn't get a lot of extra watering beyond what falls out of the sky I'll give it a bit more but it sounds like once it's decided to go dormant, it's just going to do that anyway until next spring?

It's otherwise been very healthy, maybe I need to look after it better next year... put it somewhere sunnier for the early spring until the sun is higher in the sky?

[orangepippin]

It is also growing in a very small pot, which increases the likelihood that watering is an issue. You can't really rely on rain alone with a pot that size.

[d000hg]

It is also growing in a very small pot, which increases the likelihood that watering is an issue. You can't really rely on rain alone with a pot that size.

Ah, I didn't realise that was small for the size of tree. I'll water it more - well next year if it's decided to shut down for autumn. The plan was to move it up to a larger pot in a year or so, unless I can be sure it's safe to plant it in that location - lots of pipes and things around!

[Glutton4...]

You are going to water it now thou, aren't you! not just leave it until next year...

[d000hg]

I suppose so although if the leaves are dying and falling off doesn't that mean it's already turned off for the winter?