Why apples rot on a tree and what to do

When the fruits are tied on the apple trees, the gardener rejoices and counts the days until the moment when the harvest can be harvested. However, it is not uncommon to enjoy the taste of healthy fruits. Damage to trees by diseases leads to spoilage and decay of apples. A significant part of the crop is destroyed. Below you can familiarize yourself with the main causes of rotting apples on a tree and how to deal with such a nuisance.

Reasons for infection of an apple tree with fruit rot

Why do apples on a tree rot? Fungi of the genus Monilia caught on the surface of a stone fruit provoke the occurrence of various diseases. Often, against the background of the influence of such fungi, the apple tree is affected by moniliosis, which damages the fruits, leaf plates and shoots. The disease is actively spreading. This is why apples rot on the tree. In a short period of time, the disease affects all trees on the site.

The appearance of a dark soft spot on the apple indicates the development of moniliosis.

Fungal spores most often fall on the pistils of inflorescences in early spring, when the weather remains damp for a long time. The fungus, which is actively gaining strength, moves deeper into the fruit crop. Against this background, inflorescences and foliage begin to fade, shoots dry out. The affected part of the plant looks burnt. Experts call this phenomenon a monilial burn.

Spores of fungi of the genus Monilia can be spread by various insects, birds, and even carried around by gusts of wind. Fruit rot that has fallen into the place of mechanical action contributes to the active development of the disease.

Signs of fruit rot

Below you can familiarize yourself with the signs of fruit rot, which signal the development of a dangerous ailment. It is very important to systematically inspect the garden area in order to timely identify the disease and begin treatment. This is the only way to save the plants and not lose the harvest.

Preventive treatments with fungicidal agents will help prevent fungal infections of apple trees

Moniliosis

Rot on apples indicates the defeat of the fruit crop by moniliosis. Dark soft spots appear on the fruits, quickly spreading over the entire surface of the apples. The brown flesh of the fruit is unsuitable for eating and processing. Soon, mushroom spores appear on fruits that have begun to rot. Their appearance resembles a bloom of a light shade. Fruit rot develops most actively in the warm season during a prolonged rainy period. The fungus in a short period of time passes from one affected fetus to others.

Trees with thickened canopy are most susceptible to fungal infections

Novice gardeners may not know what to do if apples rot on the tree and what is the reason for this phenomenon. Often, infection of plants in the garden occurs due to uncut branches affected by moniliosis. Therefore, it is very important to timely cut off diseased shoots and fruits that have had time to rot, and then burn them away from the site. If this is not done, then the spores of the mushrooms will fall into the branches along the stalks and the damage to the neighboring shoots will begin.

Black dots on apples - chlorosis, scab, muhosed

Fruit rotting can develop due to the appearance of black dots on apples, which occur due to:

• Iron deficiency. As a result, the plant begins to suffer from chlorosis. The leaf plates take on a pale green hue, which gradually turns into a yellow color. Black dots that appear on the leaves go to the fruit. To cope with this problem, you need to apply a fertilizer with a high iron content after the leaves begin to fall. To process 2 trees, you will need 600 g of dry ferrous sulfate powder. Top dressing is diluted in 20 liters of settled rainwater. The plant is watered with the prepared solution. It is also recommended to carry out systematic spraying. To do this, you need to dilute 150 g of ferrous sulfate powder in 25 liters of water. Thanks to processing, the crop will not deteriorate and will have time to ripen.
• Fruit crop lesions with scab. Dots of a dark brown hue appear on the fruits. The edges of the spots are clearly defined. Fungal infection appears first on the green mass, and then on apples. As a rule, plant infection occurs during the period of prolonged rains. If the gardener discovered that his garden was damaged by scab, he needs to take action as soon as possible, namely, collect fallen apples, leaf plates and burn them. It is also important to process the apple trees and the soil in which they grow. To do this, you can use a 7% urea solution or a 10% ammonium nitrate solution. For preventive purposes, gardeners recommend to carry out spring treatment of fruit plants with preparations like Bordeaux liquid (3%), "Skor" or "Horus". The procedure should be done in time before the buds have time to blossom. You should not hesitate in treating the scab, because a fungal infection contributes to the penetration of other parasites into apples. It should also be borne in mind that the fruits affected by scab cannot be stored for a long time.
• A fungal infection of the fly flies, which spreads rapidly during periods of high humidity. The disease most quickly affects trees with a neglected crown. Muchoose is very often observed in abandoned gardens. To prevent its occurrence, it is recommended that preventive treatments be carried out annually in the spring and autumn months using fungicidal agents.

Spraying apple trees with a mustard solution can be carried out during the budding period

Disease and pest control methods

Below you can find the most effective ways to combat diseases and pests of the apple tree, which lead to crop rot and fruit fall.

Folk remedies

Folk methods are quite effective if you start treatment at the very beginning of the infection of a tree with an infection. You can most effectively cope with ailments and pests with the help of:

• Urea solution. Helps to cope with moniliosis at an early stage. To spray several mature trees, it will be necessary to dilute 650 g of urea in 30 liters of settled rainwater. To increase the "stickiness" level, you can add a few tablespoons of dish soap. All components are thoroughly mixed. During processing, it is important to wet the sheet plates on both sides. The branches of the fruit crop should also get wet. The area of ​​the near-trunk circle is covered with a layer of straw 7-8 cm thick. Mulch from straw will make it possible to preserve pathogens in the soil that did not have time to die during processing. With the onset of spring, until the period of sap flow has begun, it will be necessary to repeat the treatment with a urea solution.
• Red pepper and onion skins, which will help in the fight against the invasion of aphids and caterpillars. To prepare the solution, add 150 g of red pepper and 300 g of onion husks to 15 liters of water. Thanks to the processing, the plants will remain healthy, and the apples will be beautiful and will not burst.
• Wormwood, allowing you to cope with moth butterflies. To prepare the broth, you will need to bring to a boil 550 g of wormwood, combined with settled water (2.5 liters). After the broth has cooled, it is necessary to spray the trees. Re-processing of plants is performed in 12-14 days.
• Mustard solution, which allows you to cope with fungal diseases. To prepare the solution, you will need to add 180-190 g of mustard powder to 20 liters of water. The components are thoroughly mixed. The resulting liquid must be sprayed on the apple trees and water them abundantly. Re-processing is carried out after 10 days. Experts recommend sprinkling fruit plants with mustard solution in late spring and mid-June for preventive purposes.

To cope with moniliosis, you can use a urea solution

Spraying with specialized products

To prevent damage to the apple tree by fruit rot, experienced gardeners recommend processing fruit trees in the spring months until the buds begin to bloom. It is best to use for spraying products containing in the composition:

• copper oxychloride;
• copper sulfate.

Preventive treatment is also carried out in the autumn months, when the trees begin to shed their foliage. To save apples on a tree from rot, it is best to use Bordeaux liquid (3%). If the fruits on the plant have time to set, it is necessary to purchase a 1% solution so that the tree does not suffer from burns.

Moniliosis is one of the most dangerous diseases that affects fruit crops and leaves the gardener without a crop. The infection is characterized by rapid spread and recurrence. That is why it is important to give preference to an integrated approach to plant treatment. Prevention measures should be combined with agronomic techniques and treatment using various means. Having found out why apples turn black on an apple tree, it is necessary to start fighting the disease as soon as possible, using:

• biological agents;
• chemical;
• fungicidal preparations;
• folk methods.

Biological agents

This category of drugs allows you to destroy the cellular structure of fungi. If a gardener uses a biological product, following the advice indicated in the instructions, the product will be absolutely safe for plants and will not have a toxic effect on them. To suppress mushroom spores, experienced gardeners recommend using:

• Mikosanom V.
• "Alirin B".
• "Fitosporin M".

Chemicals

The most popular and inexpensive remedy for moniliosis among gardeners is a solution of copper sulfate. An even more effective and proven remedy is Bordeaux liquid, which, before the onset of kidney development, can be used in the form of a 3% solution, and at other times in the form of a 1% solution.

Fungicides

To suppress the growth of the fungus and completely destroy it, you can treat plants with fungicidal agents like:

• "Horus".
• "Abiga Pica".
• "Coming soon."

Having prepared a solution with one of the listed drugs, you can start processing apple trees (in summer or autumn), abundantly sprinkling branches and foliage. Also, a small amount of the solution will need to be poured into the area of ​​the trunk circle, which will make it possible to stop the rotting of the fruit and get rid of the spores of fungi that develop in the soil.

It is important to use fungicides carefully, strictly adhering to the recommendations specified in the instructions.

What to do with rotten fruit

It is very important to prune the affected branches as soon as possible and burn them along with the fallen fruits. If it is not possible to do this, you can bury them further away from the garden plot. Rotten fruits should not be eaten, preserved or dried. Even in the compost heap, it is not recommended to pour apples affected by fruit rot.

Preventive actions

Fungal spores actively penetrate through fruit cracks, pricks from branches, plant areas damaged by pests. To prevent the occurrence of fruit rot and the development of other fungal infections, preventive measures must be taken, namely:

• weed the weed area in a timely manner;
• systematically remove apples that have begun to fall from the tree, remove damaged fruits and dispose of them;
• cut off drying branches, leaf plates;
• remove fruits from the plant that have begun to crack;
• remove all fruits from the trees, preventing them from wintering on the tree;
• treat the area of ​​the trunk circle with copper sulfate;
• systematically spray the leaf plates (outside and inside) with fungicides;
• cover young trees from direct sunlight;
• dig up the soil for the winter.

Rotting apple fruits indicates the defeat of trees by a fungal infection, which can only be dealt with by starting treatment in a timely manner. The disease spreads too quickly, therefore, in a short period of time, if the gardener is inactive, all fruit crops on the site will be infected with an infection. Using the folk remedies and specialized remedies listed above, you can save your apple trees and prevent the fruits from rotting.