| I bought a house in April and it had a cherry tree in the back yard. I believe it is a royale ann. I noticed after the cherries were on the tree, My leaves started to curl up and look brown. What do I need to do and when do I need to do it. P.S. - Do I need to prune a cherry tree? :-( |
| Brown rot fungus can be a problem on cherry trees, and symptoms on the fruit are as you describe. Upon inspection of your tree, you'll probably find other signs, as well. The fungal spores survive on diseased twigs and old, rotten fruits and the spores spread by air currents, rain splash and insects. There's a gummy ooze associated with the infection, and affected twigs and leaves shrivel and die early in the season. To help control this disease, prune and destroy affected twigs and branches. This pruning will also help open the plant up to good air circulation throughout the canopy. Avoid wetting blossoms, foliage and fruit. Be sure to rake and destroy all fallen fruit and leaves at the end of the season. You can apply a Bordeaux mixture (or other copper-containing fungicide), at budswell to help protect the leaves and blossoms from infection. Apply again after the leaves appear. With preventative sprays and good garden sanitation you should be able to keep brown rot under control. |
