The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: suziequeue on July 28, 2012, 11:20:24 am

Title: Is this magnesium deficiency?
Post by: suziequeue on July 28, 2012, 11:20:24 am

Some of our new apple trees planted this year are beginning to wilt a bit.


Is this magnesium deficiency or fireblight??

Title: Re: Is this magnesium deficiency?
Post by: Dan on July 28, 2012, 06:53:41 pm

Looks like magnesium deficiency to me, we've got the same problem in places. Apply seaweed, or The Fruit Tree Handbook (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/books/the-fruit-tree-handbook/) (highly recommended!) suggests Epsom salts as a foliar spray at a dilution of 20g per litre. Haven;t got around to doing anything about ours yet, must make time tomorrow...

If it was fireblight the shoots and branches would be shrivelled and blackened, like they'd been burned by fire.

HTH.

Title: Re: Is this magnesium deficiency?
Post by: suziequeue on July 29, 2012, 06:29:19 am

Thanks Dan


As per the fruit tree book - we live on clay soil and have had alot of rainfall recently which apparently leaches the magnesium out.


I have remulched the trees and applied calcified seaweed granules to the bases (it was all I had) and sprayed all the trees with epsom salts.  :fc: :fc:

Title: Re: Is this magnesium deficiency?
Post by: ddangus on July 31, 2012, 03:00:19 pm

Hi Suzie,

Magnesium deficiency can also be made worse if too much potassium fertilizer has been applied.

DD

Title: Re: Is this magnesium deficiency?
Post by: suziequeue on July 31, 2012, 09:54:03 pm

 :(  I'll never win


 ;D ;D