Every summer resident has at least once encountered scab on apple or pear trees. At first, everything seems to be clean, the leaves are healthy, the fruits are filling, but suddenly the crop becomes covered with a dark coating and cracks.
The fact is that the peak of infection occurs most often during bud break and flowering. If you miss this moment, the spores germinate inside the leaves and fruits, and become visible outside only when it is too late to fight.
However, even timely processing does not provide a guarantee. The infection can come from neighbors who have not treated their garden. Plus, the weather often favors the fungus: cool weather, frequent rains and heavy dew create ideal conditions for the spread of the disease.
What to pay attention to and when it’s not too late to act
The tricky thing about scab is that in the early stages you only see small dots on the leaves. And when dark spots and cracks appear on the fruits, there is nothing to save, since the apples are already riddled with fungus.
To avoid this:
- regularly inspect trees using a magnifying glass;
- Carry out the first treatments in the spring, but don’t relax in the summer either;
- if only the leaves are affected, there is still a chance to save the crop.
When the scab has reached the fruit, it is useless to fight; all that remains is prevention for the next year.
How to protect your garden without chemicals
Many summer residents are afraid to process trees during the fruiting period. However, there are safe alternatives that help control the disease.
Verified options:
Biological products (Fitosporin-M, Gamair, Alirin-B) – they can be used even during the ripening of the crop. For prevention, treat once every two weeks, if signs appear – once every 7-10 days.
Folk remedies: infusions of garlic, mustard or horsetail with the addition of laundry soap. They do not kill the fungus completely, but significantly reduce its numbers and repel pests.
After harvesting, be sure to remove and burn all fallen leaves and carrion, since this is where the spores overwinter.
In the fall, carry out eradication treatment with iron or copper sulfate.
And the main advice: Don't limit yourself to just spraying. Strengthen the immunity of trees with fertilizing with microelements, watch out for pests (they carry spores) and use a sharp, disinfected pruning tool, advises Volzhsky Garden (18+).
