Something is afflicting my apple trees and I haven’t a clue what it is. The affected trees are covered with small, somewhat misshapen leaves. I noticed it on a couple of trees a week or so ago. Now, I’ve got over a dozen trees with the same condition. I’ve included a pic of an affected tree. Any advice is much appreciated.
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Leaf strapping and curling/cupping can be signs of exposure to a auxin-type herbicide (dicamba, 2,4-D, MCPP, clopyralid, etc).
Of course they have to be exposed (likely through drift) to show symptoms and I cannot answer that. The broadleaves in your planting strips look healthy enough to suggest you did not spray them.
Oh, huh, that symptom can also come from previous-year glyphosate application.
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Thanks. I’ll bet that’s it. I read where it was best to apply when the tree was dormant but that didn’t work out well. Appreciate the insight.
Yes, looks like glyphosate damage
Apple farmer:
I spray glyphosate around all my apple trees if they are in leaf or not. I never have an issue with older trees with heavy corky bark. On young trees I hold a portable shield around each tree trunk as I spray to prevent any drift onto that thin young bark. Works great! I am spraying my glyphosate with a 2 gallon pump sprayer.
Many years ago I had glyphosate damage on some young golden delicious at an orchard I worked at. The trees survived but looked poorly for about 3-4 years. The leaves were off colored, not shaped right and often defoliated weeks before they should have in the fall. The apples on the trees did develop and color up just fine (at least some good news).
I sure hope your trees recover ok from it.
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Thanks for the tips. I only use glyphosate along the fence line and not near the trees. I sprayed 2 4 d among the trees and in the rows because I’ve had a problem with pigweed that last two years and it’s the only thing that works. The trees suffering the effects are 2 to 3 years old. I tried to avoid hitting the trees with the spray but obviously wasn’t careful enough. I assume there is nothing to do now except hope they recover.
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Depending on your formulation of 2,4-D, you can be extremely careful, not get a drop on the trees, and still have issues. 2,4-D is fairly volatile. I always sweat about neighbors’ lawn-care companies applying weed control because of the risk of 2,4-D vapor drift. I’ve seen auxin herbicide damage on my dad’s pear trees from his lawn care guy… so it does happen.
The volatility follows the trend 2,4-D acid > 2,4-D ester >> 2,4-D amine > 2,4-D choline. I’d try to find the amine (widely available) or the choline salts (Enlist Duo - not sure if it is registered for orchards). I believe the same trend goes for other auxins like dicamba. But I have seen the free acids in yard products (why, oh, why?) and the ester is cheaper and have seen it in farm supply stores in the big jugs.
If I had to spray weeds with an auxin herbicide I’d do it on a cool, cloudy day with little wind and preferably with several days of clouds and cool in the forecast.
Thanks. That’s helpful. I hope these trees recover. These self-inflicted wounds are the most painful.
Two trees I planted last year the leaves look like the glycoside ones, why??? We have lived here 6 years and don’t use glycosate. I don’t understand why 2 new tree’s look so bad
Do you have any pictures of the trees?