Timing is everything when it comes to plant health care. Currently, we are treating crabapples and spruce for fungal issues that arise from our early spring weather. 

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To treat for Apple Scab on crabapples, we start the application at the first sign of bud break. The second and third applications are done between, 21-28 day intervals.  If treatments are not done on time or not at all, there will be early leaf drop, starting in the middle of the tree, around the 4th of July and most of the leaves will be gone by Labor Day.  Multiple years of this in a row can weaken the root system and can bring in other diseases, such as Fire Blight. 

 

Fungicide treatments help retain healthy leaves by 80-90% throughout the growing season.  The application of fungicide every year, along with proper pruning and thinning by a certified arborist every 3-4 years, will keep the crabapples healthy for years to come.

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To treat for Rizosphaera Needle Cast on Spruce, we start the application when the new growth, the candles, start to expand, and the brown “husks” that surround the new needle growth start to fall off.  The second and third applications are done between 21-28 day intervals.  If applications are not done on time or not at all, expect some of the new needles on the bottom parts of the canopy to turn brown/purple color towards the end of the summer. This is followed by branch dieback and then the death of the branch. The fungus then spreads up the canopy to other healthy parts, eventually killing the tree.  

 

Removing infected branches and raising the lower canopy off the ground by 2-3 feet will help to dry off the lower branches. Pruning, along with the fungicide treatments, will keep the spruce healthy for years to come.