Kitchen Garden Forum

Every year one of my espalier apple trees has loads of fruit, but the apple skin has blotches on it. The fruit is fine and they taste fantastic but the skins look like a teenager with acne. If any body has any ideas that would be great.

I would like nice looking apples this year for a change.

Thanks

Tracie

According to my Fruit Expert book by Dr. Hessayson
this is called 'Russetting'. Usually forms on smooth skinned fruits. Doesn't affect the eating quality but is caused by poor growing weather conditions especially if it occurs at petal fall. Drought, mildew, starvation and too little organic matter in the soil are other possible causes.

Hope this is helpful Tracie.

Beryl.

Sounds more like "bitter pit" to me which is caused by water shortage at critical times which can be alleviated by copious mulching. It may also be caused by calcium shortage which may be reduced by spraying with hydrated calcium nitrate (RHS Fruit Garden Displayed).

Bitter Pit would make the fruit inedable and there would be brown areas through the fruit.

Beryl.

It does sound as if the tree is getting Stressed, so the recommendation of feeding and mulching should pay dividends.

Beryl, a mild case of bitter pit only has the "acne spots" on the surface and doesn't affect the flesh of the fruit, though it does look unsightly.

I bow to your knowledge Monika. Having had Bitter Pit on my trees. I wouldn't want to eat the fruit. I was really going by what Tracie had said.
Beryl.