"Spider" wrote

On 18/07/2011 14:51, TheScullster wrote:
Hi all

I have a small apple tree - egremont russet I think - which is producing
fruit this year (suffered June drop or similar last year).

The apples look absolutely picture book perfect, but cutting into them
shows
brown staining of the flesh.
The flesh is heavily speckled with brown, the brown being just like apple
that has been exposed to the air for an hour or more.

Anyone suggest a reason please?
Is this another symptom of the earlier dry weather this year?

TIA

Phil




I agree with the others - probably bitter pit. I've always understood it
to be due to calcium shortage. There may, however, be sufficient calcium
in your soil, but the tree roots can't use it because there's not enough
moisture to make it soluble. In drought periods, extra water is
essential. Even if you add calcium, the plant can't use it unless it is
soluble. Test your soil for calcium deficiency, by all means, but water,
water and water again.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay


Thanks to all

Yes I did try to water frequently - not enough obviously
The tree is close to a copper beech which is probably dragging a lot of the
water away.

Phil