Caring for fruit trees takes a lot of time and effort. You need to buy a seedling, grow it, protect it from rodents and frosts. And the first fruits will appear only after 3-5 years, you will have to be patient. And it’s very unfortunate if an adult tree kills the disease. Most of the fungal or viral ailments of fruit plants can be cured. Separately on this list is tree cancer. In a short time, it can destroy not only the crop, but also your garden.
What crops are susceptible to infection?
None of the garden plants are protected from this ailment. Tree cancer is common to almost all fruit crops. But most often, sweet cherry, cherry, apricot and peach, that is, stone fruits, become his victim. Symptoms may occur in turn, but more often than not, changes in the tree trunk can be noticed. The bark begins to crack, an adhesive substance protrudes from it, which later blackens. Tree cancer is not for nothing called anthones fire, the disease really "burns" the garden.
What does the disease look like?
The first manifestations of the disease can be confused with a fungal disease. Because of this, inappropriate methods of control may be chosen. Tree cancer begins to manifest itself in early spring. If you notice an unusually fast flowering end, strange spots on the leaves or smudges on the trunk that resemble resin, then be prepared to start a fight for your garden.
First symptoms
First of all, this disease affects flowers. Tree insemination by spores can occur in the fall, but the disease will begin to show activity with the onset of the new season. The flowers turn brown and dry. Sometimes the gardener does not pay attention to this, busy with spring work. From the affected flowers, the ailment spreads to the branches, which causes the appearance of cracks and leakage of an orange-colored liquid from them. Gradually thickening and damage to the bark appear on the branches.
In summer, you can see a change in leaves. Watery, yellow spots appear on them, which eventually turn brown and curl inward. As a result, holes form, as if insects - leaf-rodents attacked the plant. If the color was damaged only partially, and the fruits managed to set, then they are covered with brown putrid spots.
Several species
Tree cancer is difficult to treat. In particular, due to the fact that the gardener can not always determine the causes of this phenomenon. There are several species that can hit a landing. This is a common, black, bacterial, root cancer. The last two are bacterial, and the first fungal. Cancer spreads very quickly, it is carried with the wind and garden tools.
Most dangerous form
It is a black cancer of fruit trees. Most often, this ailment affects adults or even old trees. Moreover, it does not just die, but also infects the entire garden. This disease causes a resistant fungus, it is believed that it penetrates the plant through damage to the bark. Spots appear on it, gradually they darken until they turn black, as if the bark had become charred. If you still tighten the treatment, then it swells and blisters, sags and falls off.
Black cancer of fruit trees can be easily recognized during the summer season. This disease leads to the fact that the fruits are mummified directly on the branches. The crop is spoiled, no one will eat apples. It is characteristic that the birds do not touch the affected fruit, even in the early stages.
The sooner the better
Unfortunately, the treatment of tree cancer is a very complex process, the advanced stages are completely incurable. And only in the early stages, when the lesions are very small, can measures be taken to counteract further spread. Experienced gardeners say that if the lesions are smaller than a palm in diameter, then you can try to cure the tree. When they spread to the entire trunk, the tree needs to be cut and burned so as not to infect the rest.
Treatment methods
Trees should be treated following the following recommendations:
- If the branches are affected, then they need to be cut "into the ring." Lay a film and make sure that not a bit of the bark gets into the ground. Otherwise, you will not have time to look around how the disease spreads to the entire garden.
- When the trunk is damaged, it is usually more difficult to cure the tree. You need to cut the affected areas with a sharp knife and grab another 2 cm of healthy tissue.
- The wound will need to be disinfected. This will require a solution of copper sulfate (2%) or iron sulfate (3%). After this, be sure to treat with a varnish antiseptic or at least clay.
- Be sure to take out and burn all diseased branches, rotten fruits, and even sawdust.
- If the leaves are affected, spray 1% with Bordeaux fluid.
In addition, you need to treat the entire garden with systemic fungicides. Be sure to alternate drugs and comply with deadlines. Do not forget to disinfect the instrument before and after work. For this, ordinary alcohol is quite suitable.
Recovery Guarantee
None of the above funds can give it. Moreover, if you use them all together, this also does not mean that the tree will recover. The sooner you begin to carry out therapeutic measures, the higher the chances of success. But the disease can come back. It is enough to sprinkle a few sawdust on the ground during the work or not to cut the damage deep enough, and a new wave can be expected. Therefore, it is best to choose black cancer resistant varieties.
Other varieties
It will be easier for the gardener to understand what is happening with his garden if he gets to know the material in advance and looks at the photo. Tree cancer is different, and some of its forms are easier to treat. The main thing is to take action in time.
- Common cancer affects tree bark and skeletal branches. In this case, the fruit is not affected. It spreads in the same way as black, and it manifests itself in a similar way. Where the mushroom got into the wound, spots begin to grow. Then, in the center, the crust begins to dry out, and falls off over time. In its place, you can see tumors and nodules. This species is not so deadly, but it must be treated in the same way as black cancer. That is, cut out all the affected areas and burn this material.
- Cancer of the roots. It penetrates the roots through wounds and cracks and leads to the appearance of rotting growths on them. In this case, the tree cannot be saved. In this case, the disease is almost not subject to early diagnosis.
- Bacterial burn. Both young seedlings and old trees are affected. And the gram-negative sticks that fall into our garden along with new seedlings are to blame for this. In this case, the branches of the tree darken, the leaves curl and dry. The fruits also darken, but do not fall.
What to do with bacterial cancer?
According to statistics, it is from this form of ailment that it is easiest to save a tree. Let's figure out how to treat bacterial tree cancer. First of all, you need to trim the diseased branches about 20 cm below the lesion. They need to be burned. It is important to sanitize the cut-off places, then spray the whole tree with 1% Bordeaux mixture. It remains to cultivate the land in the near-stem circle. A solution of copper sulfate (2%) is useful for this. If you notice the signs in time, then you can save the fruit tree.
Conclusion
The course of cancer in trees has a lot of similarities with human cancer. If the tumor is removed on time, then the plant will live. Run, and it remains only to uproot and burn. There is only one difference; cancer in plants is contagious. Therefore, every day without treatment is a risk to the whole garden, and not just yours.