Fire Blight

Fire Blight, "Erwinia amylovora", and how we tried to save a  Malus Evereste.

Nearly 3 years ago we bought a beautiful ornamental apple with small rounded fruits. It was the only one on stock so we quickly took it. 

But because the lack of experience comes with it's problems, in spring, we noticed a wound on the trunk, which proved to be caused by the fire blight. 

We immediately searched for a cure, but the issues is that there is no cure, you actually need to cut and burn the infected branches.

The disease affected the main trunk ... but we didn't want to loose so much growth so we tried to save him during the next 2 years. 

We cleaned him, gave him fungal treatments, applied a regenerative root biostimulator called Razormin, everything without effect. There was no active growth above the wound. 

The only solution left was to cut below the wound...

"Lesson learned: the quickest you act the better for the plant."

Tips:

- clean and disinfect the tools

- apply copper based anti-fungal solutions

- be careful when you buy a plant : dried fruits/leaves, damaged trunk and branches, small growth in the past years.

- when you discover the fire blight don't loose time and act: cut the affected branches and burn them

- apply copper paste on the wounds