Hi,

I have a problem with my apple tree which I believe is Blossom Wilt ?
BTW - I know nothing about gardening etc. so I could well be wrong

It started about 4 years ago, it blossoms really well (looks like a bumper crop is coming) but then all the leaves/tips start to die and eventually the tree looks like it is dead :-(
Last year I used LOTS of fungicide and the tree did very well as a result but this year it is just as bad as before and I got through £12 worth of fungicide last year (off the shelf stuff from Wilkos)

It has now spread to the tree next to it and also my small cherry tree this year looks in a very bad way
It like the apple tree looked fantastic a week or so ago, covered in blossom but then all the leaves fell off

you can see some pictures of my trees here
Index of /alan.blackham/temp/tree

I am now thinking my only option is to chop the tree down but I really don't want to do this until I am sure there is no other option?

Thanks
Alan

The main job is to thin out the fruits. If left to grow naturally, there will be a large crop of undersized apples, and the tree may well produce nothing at all the next year. As soon as the fruits set (i.e. a small but obvious apple is beginning to form), cut out the central fruit from each cluster (typically five fruits) - this 'king' apple is often of low quality and misshapen. Remove all blemished and misshapen fruits.

If the crop looks to be heavy, thin each cluster to one or two fruits - the distance between clusters should be no less than 10cm (4in). Cordons and M9 rootstocks trees will require only minor thinning. If a crop is too heavy, and thinning has not been sufficient, one or more branches may well break. Keep an eye on the situation and be ready to thin out further or support the branch.

A friend has suggested that my problem is insect rather than fungus?

I have cut out all the infected material (the tree is MUCH smaller than it was now) and I will see how it goes
If it gets worse I guess I will have to chop it down?