If an apricot tree lets its leaves hang, the harvest yield and survival are on a knife's edge. Don't wait until the vital leaves on your apricot (Prunus armeniaca) have fallen off. Read here about common causes of hanging leaves on the apricot tree with tips for effective countermeasures.
Why is my apricot tree drooping its leaves?
An apricot tree droops its leaves when it suffers from a fungal or bacterialdiseasesuch as verticillium wilt, monilia lace blight, curl disease and shotgun disease. Other causes of hanging leaves on the apricot tree arelate frostin spring anddrought stress in summer.
Why is my apricot tree drooping its leaves?
Common causes of hanging leaves on the apricot tree are various diseases caused by fungal and bacterial pathogens. These include infections such as Verticillium wilt, Monilia tip blight, curl disease and shotgun disease.
Apricot trees that are weakened by unfavorable site conditions, over-fertilization, waterlogging or incorrect pruning are mostly affected. Wilting leaves on an apricot can also be due to extreme weather conditions, such as late frosts in spring and drought in summer. The combination of various negative factors is considered to trigger the dreaded apoplexy or sudden apricot tree death, also known as impact.
What to do if an apricot tree droops its leaves?
A carefulcause analysis reveals the measures you can take to solve the problem of hanging leaves on the apricot tree. Have you identified the cause? Then this is what you have to do now:
- Cause of diseases: cut affected branches back to 10 cm into he althy wood, do not dispose of clippings and fallen leaves in the compost, but in household waste.
- Cause of frost damage: Cut back frozen shoots, protect the apricot tree from frost in the future in the spring.
- Cause of drought stress: Water the apricot tree thoroughly, place the potted apricot with the root ball in water.
What helps prevent hanging leaves on the apricot tree?
CautiousSelection of location in combination with species-appropriate care that takes the special requirements of an apricot into account can help prevent drooping leaves on the apricot tree. These are important aspects:
- Plant apricot in a sunny, warm location, ideally on a trellis in front of the south wall.
- Prevent frost cracks on the trunk of an apricot with a coat of white.
- Extremely economical, organic fertilization once a year with compost or horn shavings.
- In May, thin out the fruit cover to a distance of 15 cm.
- Cut apricot trees as rarely as possible.
Tip
New apricot variety is immune to bacterial blight
The 'Kuresia' variety is the new hope in apricot cultivation. Normally, apricots north of the Alps suffer from a deplorable susceptibility to bacterial blight (Pseudomonas syringae) and sharka (plum pox virus). Kuresia, on the other hand, seems to be completely immune to the dreaded diseases.
