Kestrel...drainage is of paramount importance as everyone here has mentioned. I don't think that is your problem, in fact, I don't even think you have a problem. My Hale Haven does this every single year since it was planted, and it most certainly does not have any drainage issue whatsoever as there is almost zero clay content here and the tree has awesome drainage. I don't see any indication of any common peach tree issues either. You just planted it, so give it an opportunity to acclimate itself. In the future however be mindful of what these folks have said regarding the bathtub effect of adding compost/potting soil to plantings in heavy clay though. The best peach I've ever eaten was a Red Haven, and is/was the most widely planted peach in the USA. There is a reason for that. It is however susceptible to bacterial spot, something that runs rampant in our zone. Really though, peaches in general offer little in the way of disease resistance anyway, so I think your family made a good choice and with a little luck will be a nice tree for you.

Dear Dr., I would suggest a strategy wait and see. How recent are the transplants into the ground? Is the soil amended with small wood chips/perlite to help with drainage? Are the plantings in a low area? Yellow leaves to me point to slowly draining soil or too much rain/watering. This past May I put a number of fruit trees in the ground, and had immediate concerns as well. I actually contacted my local county agricultural extension (usually connected to a university with a agricultural based program). In my state its Penn State. I would just google your county name and "agricultural extension". They have the info and wherewithal to diagnose your disease. They can even have a sample tested if need be. Usually, when I call, since I am not a commercial gardener, I speak to a master gardener. I have found them to be very helpful. To fill you in with what happened. I thought I had a fuji apple and 2 pears with fire blight. I emailed pictures to the master gardener and asked. He immediately replied and said that it did not look like fire blight. He also informed me that most trees go through an adjustment phase where the newly transplanted roots cannot keep up with the demands of the quickly growing tree. Consequently, there is leaf loss and the tree is more susceptible to disease. I'm telling you I kept my receipts close, because I really thought this tree was going to die. 100% of the leaves were affected. I was thinking to myself, how is this tree going to photosynthesize with no leaves? My only solace was that the tree trunk was a nice green color (like the variety standard) I waited a month or so, and since the damage to my leaves did not look insect related, I sprayed with Serenade, an organic multi purpose fungicide (from Fedco organic mail order). Now since it has been quite rainy and damp in PA this year, it seems to wash off in the rain soon after I apply it. However, whether it has been me suppressing the infection with Serenade, or the trees have overcome the transplant shock, the leaf tips on the branches are budding out again with good, healthy leaves. I believe all of the original leaves are going to die, but not before bring replaced with new ones. My suggestion: take some pics and call the master gardener. They have seen most diseases and can step you through a treatment. Read up on the various diseases of your trees during the winter and order products mail order (since some of the products will not be available locally-I have gotten many an odd looking for organic products at the local Lowes). If you are going fungicidal route, I think most are broad spectrum- suppress or kill a variety of types. I really like Fedco to order supplies from, they are organic (for me a plus), they are an honest company, they ship quick. They also carry broad spectrum products Spinosad/ Monterey Garden spray for insects and Serenade, fungal supressant/fungicide Read up: I know fire blight is the kiss of death in Pennsylvania for apple and pear right when the first buds emerge in spring- transmitted by pollinators, so I am trying to devise a plan to cover them (?) in the spring. Not 100% sure of what to do, but thinking about it now so I won't be caught by surprise in the spring. I see you have a honeycrisp, you may be facing the same issue. Here is a link that might be useful: VA agricultural extension links on the right

trim it up a bit and apply Bayer Tree and Shrub as directed on bottle. same issues here on cypress......it works.

I am going to assume you didn't know about Cedar Apple Rust before you planted the trees, but just for the benefit of others who might be wanting to plant apples or crabapples, the best advice is to think long and hard before you do it. Because cedar trees are widespread in our state and very invasive, it is very hard, if not almost impossible, to grow healthy apples and crabapples here. I love apples, but have lived here for 10 years and never planted one because I don't want to deal with cedar apple rust. Since you've already planted the trees, though, you have to deal with it. So, in answer to your questions: I don't think it is possible to control it on the cedars themselves. What you can do is remove the cedar apples (the fungal growths, also known as galls) before they form horns. If they have already formed horns it is too late. And, if there are cedar trees within about 2 miles of you, the disease can be carried through the air, so removing the cedar apples from the infected cedar trees near you may help a little, but it won't prevent airborne cedar apple disease spores from infecting your plants. You can spray your crabapples with a fungicide that is labeled for use on crabapples for the prevention/control of cedar apple rust, but the spraying has to be done at very specific temperatures and at very precise times. I believe the spores transfer most readily when temperatures are in the 60s. The fungicide most readily available to homeowners for Cedar Apple Rust on crabapples is cholorothalonil, most often sold as Daconil, and often used by vegetable gardeners, for example, to prevent Early Blight on tomatoes. I think you also can use a different fungicide called Bayleton. Just read and follow the label directions IF it is not too late, weatherwise and temperaturewise, in your area. Even though your crabapple trees are new to you, they actually are several years old by the time you buy them, so the application of a fungicide following label directions should not harm them at all. Just be sure you dilute the fungicide and apply it as directed. The entire life cycle of cedar apple rust from cedar tree to its transferrence to apple trees takes almost 2 years. It is an ever-present threat. It is the reason you don't see vast orchards of apples in Oklahoma. Of the two crabapples you plante, I think Prairiefire is considered highly disease-resistant and Profusion less so. However, disease-resistant only means the tree has some resistance, not immunity, and even disease-resistant trees can and do get diseases. Cedar Apple Rust is the main cause of rust on apple trees, but you also have to watch out for the closely related Cedar-Quince Rust and Cedar-Hawthorne Rust. They are controlled/prevented by the same fungicides. Please understand though that even the regular application of fungicide is no guarantee the trees won't become infected. Understand also that cedar apple rust is not something that will be a problem only once. If is an issue for your trees one year, it probably will be an issue for them every year when the temperatures are in the precise range that allows the spores to transfer and infect apple trees. Only you can decide if you want to deal with the cedar-apple rust disease every year, or if you'd rather cut your losses and replace your crabapple trees with some other kind of tree that is more disease-resistant. Good luck, Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Info on Cedar Apple Rust