Apple Scab

[rachelrt]

I have what I think is scab on my Bramley apple tree. It could have been infected from the crab apple tree nearby, can anyone tell me if they would spray the trees or just be really thorough collecting and destroying leaves and fruit from this season? Any advice very welcome!
Thanks
Rachel

[John]

Hello Rachelrt
I'm afraid that this might be something that you'll just have to live with. You don't say what size your tree is but Bramleys tend to grow larger than other apple trees and I've found that if I try to spray my tree I get covered in far more spray than the tree. Collecting the leaves and damaged fruit will help to control it.
Some years are worse than others but generally its not too much of a problem. We pulp then freeze a lot of the crop and try to store the best ones for a few months. For commercial growers it's a serious problem as they can only sell perfect fruit but we just peel off the bad bits on our scabby apples and stew the good bits!

John

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Rachelrt, i would certainly just try and clear the infected leaves as the first line of defence, hopefully you will find this helps enough not to have to spray.

[glallotments]

If we get any scab on apples we just cut off the affected bit and eat the rest! If we were to spray apples for every problem they have we would end up as bad as the supermarkets really.

[Johnboy]

Hi Glallotments,
Scab is almost impossible to get rid of if it gets a hold and the only real course of action is to follow John good advice and be as hygienic as possible in your orchard area. You can certainly eat the apples, as you do, after removing the affected area without any hazardous effects.
JB.

[glallotments]

Fortunately we only have little patches.

[rachelrt]

Thanks all for your advice, at present it is a very small tree so I'll practice good garden hygiene and hope for the best.
Best wishes
Rachel