10 Feb 2003 08:37:39 -0800 Kevin Eanes wrote:



Archimedes,

I did some internet research on the topic, and the answer is yes, if
all cedar trees in a one-mile or two-mile radius of the apple trees
are removed, the fungus' life cycle will be interrupted and it will go
away in about two years.

The fungus is gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae. It has a two-year
life cycle. The fungus passes part of its life on the cedar and part
of its life on the apple. By removing the cedars, the life cycle will
be interrupted and the fungus will eventually go away.

Yes, I think I will remove all the cedars.



Other recommended steps include use of disease-resistant apples, and
use of fungicide. I am under the impression that you would prefer not
to use fungicide. If you have the option to plant a different type of
apple tree, Golden Delicious and Delicious are more resistant, and
ornamental crabapples and Jonathans are more susceptible. A nursery
could provide more information about specific resistant strains.

Best Regards,
-Kevin

I am running an experiment Kevin of a pet-theory of mine. I believe
the maximum best conditions of an apple-fruit orchard is to plant
the trees 20 feet apart but to have some pine or spruce tree every other
one. The evergreen makes the soil of the best proper PH for the nearby
fruit trees. I have a case example of this now wherein my best pear tree
is smack up against a blue spruce.

I believe the finest fruit orchard would be one in which evergreens (not
cedar of course) are alongside fruittrees. The evergreens maintain the
proper soil PH.

Evidence: I noticed that oak tree volunteers grow best in a evergreen
forest than in any other type of forest.

Shame about the cedar because that is the best growing evergreen
for this part of the country and the only one I have seen that volunteers.
I have never seen a pine or spruce volunteer here.

Archimedes Plutonium,
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies