Black leaves on apple trees

officeguru

Hi All

I was working in the garden yesterday and reached the area where my two young apple trees are (Planted last year) and I noticed that quite a few of the leaves are turning black.. Although I am an experienced gardener, I have never seen this before and I wondered if it is linked to this eternal rain that we are getting and if it is something I should worry about..

I don't want to spray the leaves as I have chickens too near to the trees and I have nowhere else to put the chickens...

So is it a kind of mould? It doesn't look like the black soot leftover from greenfly as it doesn't look like it is on top of the leaves but part of the leaves if you see what I mean... I can't take a photo as it is not pouring of rain outside ... again!

Cheers

demystified

Are they black spots? In which case it's scab, but you probably know about that already.

If the leaves are turning black from the tips and migrating downwards, did the tips have some late flowers by any chance?

It's possibly Fireblight and it's a notifiable disease. Cut all infected shoots off a good few inches beyond the first affected leaves and keep a lookout for any reoccurance .

Photos would definitely help.

officeguru

demystified wrote: »

Are they black spots? In which case it's scab, but you probably know about that already.

If the leaves are turning black from the tips and migrating downwards, did the tips have some late flowers by any chance?

It's possibly Fireblight and it's a notifiable disease. Cut all infected shoots off a good few inches beyond the first affected leaves and keep a lookout for any reoccurance .

Photos would definitely help.

Sorry about the lack of photos.. I went out today to take the photos and guess what? It is absolutely pouring again.. The sun went in behind a cloud and before I reached the apple tree, I was too late !!! Thanks for mentioning Fireblight... as I googled it and it is not that... Neither is it black spot... or scab... I took off most of the leaves when I first saw it... but I think it might be linked to the constant rain...

Thanks for your reply