When mine do that or similar it seems to be too much rain. I assume you have the same clay I do, it's fertile but too much rain binds the nutrients. I have another apple that has the browning leaves plus it's wilting. I figured a mole or something because it's over an old dug out elm stump. So I dug around looking for hollows, flooded every one I found. The tree got worse. A couple days without rain and it was good again.

Hi Harvestman- No need to feel bad. On the contrary, you opinion (which was shared by a couple other posters) gives me a more balanced, and probably accurate, view of Liberty. Perhaps weÂll get a couple cool summers, and IÂll wonder what the heck I ever saw in it! In addition to all the normal variables that affect an apple, (location, climate, soil, weather, etc), I think this is a good example of when we evaluate a particular apple (i.e. I like it/ I hate it), we see that not everyoneÂs criteria is the same: A) A commercial growerÂs #1 criteria might simply be the name any name that isnÂt recognized by the public might not sell well. B) Perhaps a moderately-apple-educated grower like found on this forum might have flavor to be their #1 criteria. They know how to care for apples, and they want the best possible product. C) Perhaps a home-grower might have low maintenance as their #1 criteria. After all, anything that they grow themselves will taste much better than anything found in the stores, and really, theyÂre too busy with work and taking the kids to soccer practice to worry about their apple tree. I think IÂm somewhere between B & C. Perhaps youÂre somewhere between A & B? Anyhow, in the future, I really look forward to trying some of these really exceptional flavored ones that people keep talking about! Thanks as always for all your advice (even when it isn't what I necessarily want to hear! :-) ), -Glenn

I don't think that's a fungus, though pics would be helpful. The most common fungicide would be springtime sprays to control cedar apple rust. Which doesn't sound like what you are seeing.

kimmsr and annpat: thank you very much for your quick responses. Correction: I started the wire bin in April 2008. Update: I also have an Earth Machine composter that I put my household refuse in. Every time I dump some refuse in, I top it with about 2 inches of oak leaves. --> I don't think it's ?working? I don't think it's heating up. (I don't have a compost thermometer yet). I don't even see things breaking down. Heck, it was breaking down more/faster when the refuse was in the tupperware container in my kitchen. --> Should I stir it around? I haven't yet (it's been ~5weeks since I started). So this wire bin is only for my insane amount of leaves from all my trees. But I was trying to speed things up a tiny bit, thinking I'll add some green in the middle to heat it up a bit. --> Isn't what I'm doing w/ the green/brown layers kinda like lasagna composting? I think I'll just stop putting greens in there and just keep piling on more browns (dried leaves). thank you very much. Amanda