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[Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>]

Thanks Lee!

The affected leaves have died. Should I prune them out, or will new 
growth emerge this season?

On 5/7/2012 5:09 PM, Lee Reich wrote:
> CAR spores travel far so removing cedar trees is of limited use. Quoting from 
> my NEW book, Grow Fruit Naturally,
>
> "Cedar-apple rust disease produces orange spots on leaves and fruits. Because 
> cedar-apple rust needs both cedar and apple trees to complete its life cycle, the 
> disease is especially prevalent in humid regions where wild cedars (Juniperus spp.) 
> abound, such as much of the eastern United States and Canada. Susceptible cedars, wild 
> and cultivated, include Juniperus chinensis, J.pinchotii, J. silicicola, J. utahensis, 
> and many varieties of J. communis, J. virginiana, and J. scopulorum. Disease spores 
> travel for miles in the air, so removal of cedar trees may not be a practical means of 
> disease control. Instead, prune for good air circulation and plant resistant varieties 
> such as ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Liberty’, or else spray. Copper or sulfur fungicides give 
> reasonable controls and Surround offers suppression, but all must be applied early, as 
> leaf buds are opening and before you see any infections. Infections occur only early in 
> the season, and there is no further spread of new infections from old infections."
>
> With my apple variety descriptions, I also list a number of other varieties 
> that are CAR resistant.
>
> Lee
>
> Lee Reich, PhD
> Come visit my farmden at http://leereich.blogspot.com/
> http://leereich.com/
>
> Books by Lee Reich:
> A Northeast Gardener's Year
> The Pruning Book
> Weedless Gardening
> Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden
> Landscaping with Fruit
> Grow Fruit Naturally
>
> On Apr 30, 2012, at 7:46 AM, Elizabeth Hilborn wrote:
>
> > It has been a bad year for cedar apple rust. This is the first time I
> > have seen my apple trees seriously affected.
> >
> > Question- do I prune out infected and drooping new growth/fruit clusters
> > as I would fire blight? It had affected much of the leaves on my Summer
> > King apple, so I am reluctant to remove all affected growth, but I do
> > not know the consequences of inaction for the long-term.
> >
> > Betsy Hilborn
> > 7a NC