Kitchen Garden Forum

Lots of our apples, especially those on the lower branches of the trees, have got a light black sooty-type covering, which I don't remember seeing before. It washes off easily enough, but is unsightly and puts you off having a delightful fresh-from-the-tree crunch out in the orchard.
Has anyone had this and does anyone know what causes it?
Alison.

Hi Alison,

Do you have bigger trees over your apple trees and is the sooty-type covering sticky, because it sounds like Sooty mould which is a result of pest's living in the trees and these pest's excrete a sticky,sugary fluid called honeydew, which can cause sooty mould. affected fruit can be washed as the mould does not penetrate below the surface.

Regards

Kevin

Mine have got something similar, I don't think it is sooty mould it's more just a dullness whereas sooty mould looks like its name suggests. I took a Bramley with it to the Harlow Carr apple fest with an apple we wanted identifying but the queue was so long we just left the one to be identified and they called us back. So if anybody has any ideas I would be interested too.