Pale, light leaves on an apple tree: what are the reasons and what to do

Insect pest damage

Spider mite

The common spider mite is a type of mite that parasitizes the leaves of trees, shrubs and vegetables.
It feeds on the juice of leaves. The size of the pest is from 0.3 to 0.6 mm, color is from light green to light brown. It is impossible to visually distinguish mites on the surface of leaf blades. It is characterized by a high reproduction rate and rapid adaptability to insecticides. In conditions of high humidity, reproduction and damage activity decreases, but quickly recovers as weather conditions improve. The pest's eggs overwinter in fallen leaves or tree bark.

Signs of spider mite damage to an apple tree:

• Leaf lesions appear as pinpoint lightening . As the colony grows, the dots become more numerous, eventually turning the leaf a pale green color. Already at this stage, the synthesis processes in the tree cells are disrupted, its growth slows down, and young shoots stop developing.
• The affected branches are covered with a very thin silvery web. The leaves turn yellow, young shoots dry out. The apple tree does not bloom, or the ovaries die.
• The web covers most of the crown . On the underside of the leaf you can see small dark brown or black dots - waste products of spider mites. The fruits stop growing and ripening and fall off.

The danger of spider mites is as follows:

• sucking the juice from the leaves leads to the gradual death of tree tissue;
• ticks carry viral and fungal diseases;
• spreads by wind, on clothing or with untreated tools;
• tolerates low temperatures well.

Pest control

Spider mite colonies can be destroyed not only with the help of aggressive chemicals, but also with traditional methods.

Traditional methods

Effective for initial damage to the tree. Spraying the crown is carried out in the morning or evening with one of the following infusions:

• Dandelion decoction . Pour boiling water over a liter jar of crushed leaves and let it brew for an hour. Bring the volume of the solution to 10 liters and spray the areas affected by the pest. Repeat the treatment after 5 days.
• Garlic infusion . Chop 2 medium-sized heads of garlic, add 1 liter of water at room temperature, and put in a warm place for 5–7 days. Strain, bring the volume to 5 liters and spray the tree. To completely get rid of pests, three treatments are required with a break of 7–10 days.
• Birch tar . Dissolve 10 ml of tar in 10 liters of warm water.
• Infusion of onion peel . Pour 3 liters of boiling water over 3 dense handfuls of husks, cool and spray on the affected leaves.
• A decoction of calendula, yarrow or celandine. Fill a liter jar of flowers of one of the plants with boiling water, leave for an hour, increase the volume to 5 liters, spray the leaves and rinse the trunk and skeletal branches of the apple tree.
• Wormwood infusion . Pour boiling water over a bucket of herbs, cover with a thick blanket and leave for 8–12 hours. Strain and spray the tree crown. Spread the squeezed grass along the edge of the tree trunk circle and leave for 3–5 days.

Calendula and marigolds planted between trees significantly reduce the risk of pest damage.

Treatment with drugs

To get rid of spider mites at the initial stage of development, the biological preparation “Fitoverm” is used, and neighboring trees can be sprayed as a preventive measure.

The presence of a web signals the growth of a pest colony. In this case, to treat the trees, you should use chemicals prepared according to the attached instructions:

• "Aktara";
• "Akarin";
• "Aktellik";
• "Demitan";

• "Omite";
• "Fufanon";
• "Anti-mite";
• "Spark"

• "Inta - C";
• "Alatar".

Spider mites adapt well to the effects of drugs, so the insecticide should be changed during final treatment.

False spider mite

False spider mite (phalaenopsis mite) is a pest, 0.2–0.3 mm in size, light green in color.
It reproduces much more slowly than spider mites, parasitizes alone and not in colonies, and does not form a web. Does not tolerate dry weather; in conditions of high humidity it becomes more active, increasing the damage caused. The appearance of light leaves on an apple tree is most often not associated with such a pest due to the impossibility of visual detection, so the initial stage of development is usually missed. For this reason, treating wood with folk remedies does not bring results.

What to do if the leaves on the apple tree have become light due to false spider mites, you can find out in the paragraph about the real pest above - the preparations are identical.

Trips

Thrips is a small insect of the order Puzopods, ranging in size from 0.6 to 18 mm, of the piercing-sucking type.
It has 2 pairs of wings, but flies poorly and moves along a tree with the help of its legs. It is characterized by rapid reproduction, producing up to 15 generations of pests per season. They prefer dry and warm weather. Develops immunity to insecticides. It feeds on the juice of leaves and flowers and is a carrier of viral diseases. Certain species of thrips feed on spider mites.

Signs of thrips infestation:

• The apple tree leaf turns light green.
• Flowers dry out and fall off, ovaries do not form.
• The leaves turn yellow and fall off. Young shoots stop developing.

Pest control

When thrips are first detected, the tree should be fumigated with a smoke bomb containing nicotine - this will destroy the larvae and adult insects. After three days, treat the apple tree with the biological preparation “Fitoverm” to destroy clutches and place sticky traps on the branches.

Traditional methods

Effective for initial damage to the tree. Spraying the crown is carried out with one of the following infusions:

• Garlic infusion with dandelion. Chop 3-4 medium-sized heads of garlic, add 1 liter of water at room temperature, and put in a warm place for 5-7 days. Pour boiling water over a liter jar of crushed dandelion leaves and let it brew for an hour. Mix the solutions, increase the volume to 10 liters and spray the apple tree.
• A decoction of calendula, yarrow, creeping mustard or celandine. Pour boiling water over 200 g of flowers of one of the plants, leave for an hour, bring the volume to 5 liters.
• Infusion of tobacco. Pour boiling water over 100 g of chopped herb, and after 40–50 minutes, dilute with warm water to a volume of 5 liters. Treat the crown, trunk, skeletal branches and trunk circle of the apple tree.

Treatment with chemicals

Treating trees three times will allow you to get rid of thrips completely, while the control spraying product should be replaced with another one, different from the previous one:

• "Aktara";
• "Aktellik";

• "Alatar";
• "Iskra Golden";

• "Inta - C";
• "Biotlin."

Aphid

Aphids are small insects, the size of which does not exceed a few millimeters.
They have a proboscis that can pierce the surface of shoots or leaves and feed on their juice, as a result of which they acquire a light color. Wingless aphids provide mass reproduction, and winged aphids promote spread throughout the garden area. They carry fungal and viral diseases. Up to 18 generations of the pest develop during the season. Signs of aphids:

• Light leaves on an apple tree that begin to curl.
• The appearance of honeydew, which attracts ants and causes the development of sooty fungus.
• Tree growth slows down, leaves turn yellow and fall off. The fruits lose their taste.

A tree affected by aphids loses up to 50% of its resistance to frost!

Pest control

First of all, it is necessary to destroy all anthills located in close proximity to the trees. Then start treating the wood with one of the following preparations:

• "Fitoverm";
• "Biostop";

• "Biotlin";
• "Iskra Golden";

• "Aktara";
• "Ratibor".

As a folk method of killing aphids, you can use wood treatment with tobacco infusion with the addition of 50 g of laundry soap. Tobacco is able to eliminate a colony of insects, and soap covers the leaves with a thin film and prevents pests from settling again. Carry out the treatment in the morning and evening for three days.

Ladybugs actively destroy aphids.

Frequently asked questions from gardening readers: “Why does an apple tree have leaves...”

Are they curling?

Most often this occurs due to a deficiency of potassium or phosphorus , bacterial blight , and it is also possible that the caterpillars can twist hawthorn, apple moth, and roseate leaf roller.

You can read about why leaves curl in this section.

Small ones?

Shredded leaves may be a sign of zinc or nitrogen deficiency, as well as a milky sheen.

To eliminate zinc deficiency, you need to feed the trees with a solution of zinc sulfate or one of the polymicrofertilizers:

• Uniflor-Micro;
• Aquadon-Micro;
• Cytovit;
• Siliplant.

If the leaves are not only small, but there are few of them, then read about the reasons for this here.

Reset in July?

Why do apple tree leaves fall in July? The most likely cause of leaf shedding in July is black crayfish . To combat it, the causative fungus should be destroyed; for details of treatment, see the section on infectious diseases.

Read more about yellowing of leaves ahead of schedule here.

Are they withering?

Most likely, the apple tree is affected by fire blight . What to do if the leaves of the apple tree wither? It should be sprayed with a solution of the antibiotic Fitolavin or the biological product Gamaira.

In rusty, black, brown, brown spots?

Why do the leaves on the apple tree turn red, what to do in this case? As a rule, spots are signs of fungal, less often viral diseases.

Rusty spots are most likely symptoms of rust , black spots of black cancer , brown and brown spots are symptoms of black cancer and scab . We have given methods for treating these diseases above.

You can find out all the most detailed information about spots on apple tree leaves from this section.

Dry?

A typical symptom of black cancer . The affected areas should be cut out and cuts and wounds should be disinfected with copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.

Read more about why the leaves on an apple tree dry out here.

Viral and fungal diseases

Mosaic

Mosaic is a viral disease that develops in living tree cells.
Signs and course of the disease:

• Primarily, a white, light green, or pale yellow pattern forms along the veins of the leaves.
• As the virus develops, the leaves become completely light, but do not dry out or fall off.
• The virus quickly spreads through the conducting channels, the apple tree stops developing, new leaves do not grow, and fruiting does not occur.

The mosaic virus has no cure. Affected leaves and young shoots should be removed as they are detected and burned, thereby preventing the virus from multiplying. Otherwise, the apple tree dies.

Causes of infection:

• virus-infected planting material;
• presence of pests;
• raw tool for pruning branches.

milky shine

Milky sheen is a fairly rare fungal disease caused by an acute lack of minerals.
Signs and course of the disease:

• A fungus that infects a tree trunk settles in the bark, penetrates the wood and spreads through conductive channels.
• Visually, the onset of the disease is characterized by lightening of the leaves of the entire crown or individual branch, as well as the presence of black or dark brown spots on the trunk and affected branches.
• After 5–7 days, the leaves acquire a light gray pearlescent hue.
• The entire crown acquires a silvery color due to the delamination of the platinum of the leaf and the formation of air space in it.
• The tips of the leaves turn yellow and dry out, and they begin to die.
• The leaves fall, and brown rings of dead tissue are visible on the cut branches.

The disease reduces the apple tree's resistance to frost and can lead to death within 2–3 years.

Causes of infection:

• lack of necessary agrotechnical measures;
• freezing of the tree, as a result of which there is a nutritional deficiency.
• Uncollected last year's fallen fruits or leaves.

Fighting methods

The fight against the disease is as follows:

• It is necessary to remove the affected leaves and branches and burn them. Treat the sections with Bordeaux mixture, prepared according to the instructions, and cover them with garden varnish.
• Loosen and clear the tree trunk circle of weeds.
• Treat the trunk and skeletal branches with Bordeaux mixture, Topaz, Fitosporin or Prognoz preparations.
• Fertilize the apple tree with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and water with warm water.
• Provide protection from freezing and sunburn for the next year.

Symptoms of chlorosis

Chlorosis is a disease caused by a lack of certain macro- and microelements in the apple tree.

. Signs of this disease immediately become visible by changes in the color of the foliage. The color of the leaf blades changes from intense green or emerald to lighter and more faded.

The main signs of chlorosis on an apple tree:

• the foliage lost its color intensity, began to turn yellow, and gradually dots of different sizes and dark colors appeared on it;
• the leaf blades turned yellow, and the tissue on the edges and tips of the leaves began to die;
• the leaf blades became light green, and the veins remained intensely green.

Depending on why chlorosis occurs, its symptoms will differ.

Yellow leaves of an apple tree - Chlorosis or lack of iron on an apple tree - video

Violations of agricultural practices are the cause of pale leaves on an apple tree

Chlorosis

Chlorosis is not a disease, but this term is assigned to all manifestations of mineral salt deficiency in fruit trees. Lightening of leaves is the result of low chlorophyll production and is characterized by a lack of the following substances:

• Iron . The leaves acquire a light green, even white, tint and fall off much earlier than expected. The required substance is iron chelate or preparations based on it: “Ferovit”, “Brexil”, “Agricola”.
• Nitrogen . The leaves lighten starting from the lower branches, while the young shoots acquire a red tint. The best solution to eliminate the problem is urea (carbamide).
• Magnesium and manganese . The leaf has a whitish color between the veins and a black border along the edges of the plates. Treatment is the application of magnesium sulfate or nitrate in combination with watering with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
• Potassium . Lightening of the central part of the leaf and the subsequent death of its tissues from the edges to the middle. To eliminate the deficiency, mix 10 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of double superphosphate, dilute in 5 liters of hot water and leave for 2-3 hours. Bring the solution to 10 liters and spray the crown.
• Calcium . Lightening the tips of the leaves. It also leads to disturbances in the development of the root system. Adding slaked lime, chalk, dolomite flour or charcoal to the soil not only eliminates chlorosis, but also reduces acidity.
• Sulfur . The leaf veins turn white or yellow, then the entire leaf blade. First of all, the upper, younger leaves are affected. Preparations based on ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate or magnesium sulfate are recommended.

Only the first signs of lightening of the leaf plate of an apple tree signal a deficiency of one or another mineral. Serious and prolonged starvation, as a rule, has the same symptoms - yellowing, drying out and falling leaves.

The lack of nutrients, which is signaled by chlorosis, can lead to a decrease in yield, frost resistance and the death of young shoots, bark or roots of the apple tree. It can be eliminated as soon as possible by applying fertilizer to the tree trunk or spraying the crown.

Drought

Lack of watering is the most common reason for the lightening of the leaf blades of an apple tree. In addition, it leads to the development of chlorosis due to the lack of timely supply of minerals from the soil. The basics of tree moisture regime are as follows:

• Surface watering is carried out along the edges of the tree trunk in a volume of 40–50 liters per adult tree in dry and hot weather.
• Irrigation by sprinkling is scattered and uniform moistening of the soil, and it is important to ensure that the depth of wetting is at least 60 cm. It should not be carried out at an air temperature of more than +30 °C to avoid burns.
• Drip irrigation - continuous moistening of the tree trunk circle. Suitable for any weather, it is the best solution to prevent drought.
• The first watering is carried out with the onset of the period of sap flow before the buds open, the last - 14–20 days before the start of harvest.

It is recommended to combine watering the apple tree with applying fertilizers.

If there is a dry and long autumn, additional watering can be carried out in October to prevent the tree from drying out and to increase its frost resistance.

Additional care

One sign of a healthy apple orchard is the bright green color of each tree's leaves (though each species may have its own typical, unique shade). This bright, rich green color comes from chlorophyll, a chemical that is vital to the process of photosynthesis, through which plants produce the substances they need to thrive. The nutrients needed to produce chlorophyll are usually present in the soil and taken up by the roots, but may need to be supplemented with fertilizer. We have already mentioned nitrogen and iron, now let's look at rarer substances that are missing when the leaves on your apple tree lighten.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is mainly used by the plant for flower set, fruit formation and seed development. But its deficiency causes slow growth of the entire tree and a purple, dark yellow tint on the leaves. This substance is very difficult to wash out of the soil, and if there is a shortage of it, it is enough to fertilize the soil with crushed bone or crushed rock phosphate.

Potassium

This nutrient is less important for quality fruit growth, but deficiency will be noticed as yellowing of the edges of mature leaves. An inexperienced gardener may have trouble identifying the missing substance, because the same signs indicate a lack of nitrogen. Good sources of potassium include kelp meal and dried greens (grass) as fertilizer.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance of insects on the apple tree, the following measures must be taken:

• clean the tree trunk circle in the fall from fallen leaves and fruits;
• timely destroy weeds in the tree trunk circle;
• carry out formative and sanitary pruning of the apple tree to avoid thickening of the crown;
• destroy anthills;
• carry out timely fertilization of trees;
• carry out three-time treatment with the biological preparation “Fitoverm” in the spring, before the start of sap flow, and in the fall, after harvesting the fruits, with mandatory irrigation of the tree trunk circle.

Flower garden

The final stage of creating the flower decoration of the garden has arrived.

Do not rush to plant home-grown dahlias, begonias, callas, crocosmias when there is a threat of frost: they cannot even tolerate zero air temperatures.

If you haven’t had time to plant rhizomes of perennial flowers (hosta, astilbe, decorative yarrow, speedwell, irises, dicentra, hybrid bellflower, delphinium) in open ground before, then do it now.

Continue planting seedlings of annuals and biennials in the ground.

It is best to support planted flowers with natural biostimulants.

Continue to sow seeds of marigolds, helychrysum, nasturtium, sweet peas, decorative pumpkins, morning glory, amaranth, cornflower, calendula, godetia and castor beans in open ground. So that the seeds germinate faster and the weeds do not have time to drown them out, water the crops with a solution of a suspension of algae - chlorella.

Flowers previously planted in the ground are now going through the stage of active rooting and development. 10 days after planting, apply fertilizer using sapropel, Organic Mix for replanting or Flower Elixir No. 1.

During this period of the season, periodically loosen the soil in flower beds and water as needed. At the end of the month, be especially careful: the first pests may appear. For prevention, treat flower beds with light insecticides or pine needle extract.