We have a Damson tree (Merryweather) in our garden which has a problem.
Some of the leaves have become very "scrunched up" like a screwed up piece of paper and some of the fruits are turning yellow. Does anybody have an idea of what it is and what can be done to help it.
TIA
Steve,
It doesn't sound like one of the more common attackers of plums like brown rot or Black Knot. I assume everything else is normal on the tree, like the blossoms looked healthy and there are no signs of cankers, etc. on the branches. Leaves scrunching up could be aphids. Look at the underside of the leaves for signs of
them. Do you ever spray this tree with a fungicide or insecticide? Is the problem evenly distributed over the entire tree, or just certain branches? I assume the tree is watered correctly, and the soil has good drainage. If there are any other symptoms, they might help narrow this thing down.
Sherw> We have a Damson tree (Merryweather) in our garden which has a problem. >
Thanks for replying Sherwin, I think I have found out what it is.
"Heavy attacks on a young tree can be more serious as the tree's growth can be reduced. ".
We will have to wait and see what happens.
I used to have the same problem with my cherry (Montmorency). Black cherry aphid hit it every year, and it was one of the most bizarre things I'd ever seen. I learned to get a handle on it, and the damage to the tree was minimal: only some branches were effected and only a few of those had to be pruned off. The local County Extension office helped me out with preventive measures which included just minimal spraying.
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