Marianne's Response

Granny Smith apple tree

My tree is 12 years old. It had produced beautiful flowers and fruit since the beginning years. Last year a branch on one side of the tree looked bad. Unfortunately, I didn’t cut it back on the winter /dormant months. This spring it leafed and had blossom most everywhere, then little by little it has begun to either /die on the one bad B branch side. There are some apples but small and not looking good. The last 3 years the apples were quite small and filled with bugs, so much I couldn’t make anything with them as I had in the past.

Cut the tree down or try to save it? How do I save it if possible?

Thx for your insight.

Posted by Sue Perek on July 24, 2021

Marianne's Response

I suspect a canker disease has attacked the branch of your apple tree encouraged by warm weather and damp conditions. Prune off the weak and infected looking branches immediately. Dip the pruners in a 10% bleach solution between cuts to prevent spreading the pathogen. Your tree may outgrow the problem and with good fall cleanup of fallen leaves you could have fresh growth next spring. If after this drastic pruning you still have lousy fruit and weak growth I suggest you remove the apple tree. Life is too short to put up with sickly fruit trees especially if their disease spores can spread to other plants. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti

    Search the Ask the Gardening Expert library

    Looking for a quick resolution to your problem? Marianne has answered thousands of gardening questions. One may be similar to yours. Try searching our library to get the answer you need — fast!

    My Topics

    View questions you submitted to Marianne in the past

    VIEW MY QUESTIONS