You Learn Something New Everyday
We had some pretty good storms this morning but it cleared off nicely. So, after the sun came out we went for a walk. I spotted something that looked rather odd up in a cedar tree. Cedar-apple rust.
This stuff appears on cedar or juniper galls after spring rains. It is a fungus and will ruin apple trees. The apple trees will get blisters on the leaves and bad spots on the fruit, then the apples will fall off prematurely. We've got a number of apple trees and always have some problem that prevents a harvest. Now, I know why we've had troubles. I didn't know these cedar-rust galls were in the area, but, alas and alack, they are.
As you can see if you rub all the mushy tentacles off, you get to the gall itself. The little orange tentacles are what produces the spores. According to what I read, you can have either apple trees or cedar trees, but probably not both. It's impractical to think that you can get rid of the cedars, so I guess we'll have to take our chances with apples for a while longer.
This stuff appears on cedar or juniper galls after spring rains. It is a fungus and will ruin apple trees. The apple trees will get blisters on the leaves and bad spots on the fruit, then the apples will fall off prematurely. We've got a number of apple trees and always have some problem that prevents a harvest. Now, I know why we've had troubles. I didn't know these cedar-rust galls were in the area, but, alas and alack, they are.
As you can see if you rub all the mushy tentacles off, you get to the gall itself. The little orange tentacles are what produces the spores. According to what I read, you can have either apple trees or cedar trees, but probably not both. It's impractical to think that you can get rid of the cedars, so I guess we'll have to take our chances with apples for a while longer.
Posted by TBF at 4/24/2010 7:50 PM 
Categories: Daily Life
Tags: apples cedar apple rust orange fungus
Categories: Daily Life
Tags: apples cedar apple rust orange fungus
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