Prunes tree disease

[Fish]

I planted a very small prunes few month back, it grew 2 feet strongly and suddenly it started to developed some type of disease in southern calif.

the leaves have small holes in it, they are droppy, many become yellow. Most have holes except the young one.

I use Ortho Garden Disease Control, no good. Use different product to keep insect away, no good.

Go to nursery, they point me to different directions depending on whom I ask, they are few time more expensive than the tree itself.

the branches become darken as if they have fungus infection, but buds grow on them.

see some flies who use the leaf as bathroom or nursery for the young.

Out of wit, anyone who has idea what happened to the tree and how to cure it?

[Jim Kingdon]

Well, I don't know the answer, but at the risk of stating the obvious, your choices include:

(1) go to someone who is likely to know more and less motivated to sell you something. Probably a county extension agent (since you say California, not sure what the equivalent, if any, outside the US is).

(2) Ignore it (at least in the sense of not trying to intervene) and see if the tree recovers. This will tell you whether the problem is a serious one or not (some problems which look kind of bad will solve themselves, others won't). But this may be nervewracking.

(3) Browse through some lists of diseases like

(there are many more like this, including with photos; I don't know which are bets).

(4) Post (via one of those photo upload web sites) photos of your yellow leaves, the holes in your leaves, the dark branches, the young flies, the fly droppings, the adult flies if you can, etc. Perhaps someone else (more knowledgeable than I) will recognize what's going on, more easily from photos than from a description.

[sherwindu]

Sounds like it is possibly fire blight. Check your Ortho Book for more info. If it is, you have to remove all the infected branches and spray with something like copper sulfate. It's a nasty problem, and could spread to other nearby plants if not contained.

Sherw> I planted a very small prunes few month back, it grew 2 feet strongly

[Sheldon]

On Sep 3, 1:55?pm, Fish wrote:

Obvious to me that you bought infected nursery stock. Since you haven't any time invested in that tree I would dig it up immediately before it infects your other plants and bring it back where you bought it and see if they'll return your money... if not just leave it there (not worth arguing over a plum tree), you don't want that plant on your property. In any case never buy anything there again... you definitely do not want a replacement tree from them. Then heavily drench the spot where you planted that tree with a general insecticide, Sevin is good.... wait a month and if you want plant another tree there... just be sure to always buy from a reputable nursery, even if you need to pay more. I would suggest that with fruit trees especially that you buy bare root from one of the larger mail order nurseries, their stock is always true to form and it's near impossible that bare root stock will be infected... it's the soil from nursery stock that transmits disease, the problem is more common with fruit trees, especially stone fruit. Either buy fruit trees from a local nursery that grows their own in their own fields or buy bare root mail order. I much prefer bare root, even though the trees will be a smaller there won't be so long a recovery from transplant shock... at the end of three years your bare root tree's growth will exceed that of potted or balled trees. I'm always amazed at how quickly bare root trees growth just takes off the very first season, whereas potted or balled trees really don't show any noticeable growth for the first three years and then need another two years before you can see that they're not struggling anymore. A six foot potted/balled sapling will still be only six foot at the end of three years (maybe even less if you prune it as directed, whereas that bare root four foot twig will be a nice bushy eight footer after three years and will already be fruiting. I know, lots of people open that small carton and see that dormant twig and will feel cheated, don't. Carefully plant that twig as per directions and right before your very eyes you'll see a miracle... within six weeks of planting you will see buds swelling and it will leaf out and grow without missing a beat like it was always there from a seed. I've never been disappointed with plants from

and they are always very helpful with answering your questions, and if the person you're speaking to doesn't know they won't BS you, they'll say they don't know but will find out, they do get back to you.

I've tried

they send dead stock, and when you call their service dept. they are not accomodating... their operational concept is kind of smarmy, with all their memborship hype, promoting themself like they are a charity, they're definitely not... they offer no bargains, I think they are a big rip off.

[Don Staples]

If it is indeed fire blight, insecticide will do no good what so ever. Get it diagnosed by a a reputable source.

[Sheldon]

The symptoms described by the OP (small leaf holes) are nothing like fire blight... and in fact small leaf holes are very indicative of insects. Don't really need to treat for insects unless there is indication of the same symptoms spreading to other plants but it's a good insurance and can't hurt.

I'd get rid of that tree rather than bother to treat it (best to cut losses early), and replace it with one from responsible nursery. And since it was only just planted it will have developed no new roots, just gently pull it out with it's original root ball and return it tree, roots, and soil.

[sherwindu]

More serious is the blackening of the branches. I think if you look at fireblight more carefully, you will find that is one of it's indicators.

The best thing may be to bring the trees back to the original seller, but fireblight can be controlled in some cases. It may not be worthwhile to do, so in this case/

Sherwin D.

[sherwindu]

I generally agree with you about buying bare root trees. It has worked for me several times, in the past. However, I don't give Nature Hills Nursery top marks on their specifications. They simply specify trees as a general size, e.g. semi-dwarf without indicating the rootstock type. For many people, the rootstock type is meaningless. However, serious fruit tree growers know about different rootstocks and use that

information to help them select the best tree for their purposes. Nature Hills Nursery is like many others of this type, like Starks, where trees are made on a 'factory' type production line. Whatever rootstocks are lying around are utilized. There are are still some nurseries that do specify rootstock types, like Raintree in Washington State. From my standpoint, buying from a nursery like Nature Hills is a gamble where you may get a suitable tree, but then again you may not. Anyone serious about growing fruit trees should learn about rootstocks and how they affect the growth and behavior of the tree that sits on them. The term 'semi-dwarf' for example does not give an accurate description of the height of the full grown tree. There is a range of heights that fit that semi-dwarf specification depending on the rootstock type. Also, suitability for different climate conditions depends heavily on rootstock type, as does disease resistance.

Sherwin D.

Sheld> > > I planted a very small prunes few month back, it grew 2 feet strongly

[Fish]

thank you all for replies --- it is insect not fungus as I find out. I saw some flies which pooped or laid eggs on the leaves as I used garden hose and spayed hard. My gardener said it was insects.

It seems to work as the tree recovers, less holes in leaves, new buds try to grow but they have short lives (why?) If the tree survive this winter, chance is it will grow.

It is not fungus, because fungus will kill all leaves and trunk quickly, not causing holes.

I have used many chemicals, the best as i see it natural products, water, lady bugs, niem oil ... unless it is fungus.