North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>]

I've spent the last few days bagging apples and Asian pears.  Have gone through 500 bags, and I'm only half finished.  These trees are all on Bud 9 and under nine feet, but the fruit set this year has been heavy.

 

I have two russet apples, Ashmead's Kernel and Pitsmaston Pineapple.  The other six apple trees are either disease-resistant like Pixie Crunch or antique varieties with smooth skins.  I've noticed that both of the russets are very prone to apple scab, yet the other trees aren't.  Last season, the russets had major leaf damage from the scab and the few apples I didn't bag were riddled with scab.  As I bagged today, I'm already seeing signs of apple scab on the russet tree leaves.  None on the other apple trees, though.

 

Are russets genetically prone to the disease or is this coincidence?  BTW, after spending 15 years as a newspaper reporter and editor, I've learned that nothing is ever a coincidence.

Doreen Howard

IL-WI Border, Zone 4b