Harvestman: I usually don't get into a lot of detail and technical exceptions when trying to explain insect or disease control to a novice grower. Rather than risk confusing people and overloading the circuits with exceptions like post-infection activity of certain commercially available fungicides, I try to stick to a general rule. In the case of CAR and the backyard grower, I believe the best rule is: Have the fungicide on when the disease arrives. I know this is true of Ferbam, which is probably a moot point since it is now very difficult to find, but also recommend it for Immunox. Weather conditions in early spring will always affect the ability to spray, but in the case of a systemic like Immunox, post-spray rains may not affect the control of the chemical to the same degree. I do use a sticker-spreader with Ferbam, which I believe helps it cling a little longer, but doesn't protect new growth. This season I did three sprays with Ferbam in the month of April because I had three decent days to spray, and one more in early May. This may sound excessive, but after the CAR disaster I experienced in the '08 season (due primarily to poopy weather that prevented spraying) I was taking no chances. Even with this relatively high level of spray care, I still had 5-10% damage from CAR on the apples of some varieties -- and one of them was Goldrush, a genetically resistant variety. This level of damage to the fruit is not a problem for me, since at thinning time the apples showing even a touch of CAR on the calyx are the first to come off. This leaves plenty of healthy apples, but it irritates me when the affected apple in a cluster happens to be the big, fat king fruit. I don't worry too much about a few little CAR spots on the leaves. My concern is with the apples themselves. The '08 season, when damage on some trees reached around 90%, may have left me a little shellshocked. Didn't even have enough apples to press cider, and barely made the applesauce quota. This season is much, much better, although I am pretty sure the high level of infection last season actually knocked out a lot of interior fruiting spurs, since I am having a lot more apples on the tips this season. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

There doesn't seem to be any pests / insects about. Can't see mites or aphids at all. Not having a good time at all with 3-4 of my trees. Two apple trees are rife with what seems like bud rot. They are in the ground. The buds looked good and it is flowering - but then young leaves and flowers seem to die off and burn back and will eventually rub off. second year of this - pulling my hair out. That said I've many other trees which don't get affected at all....?

If you did water too much at first, it will cause the roots to not be able to take water up to the leaves. The leaves will start to droop and may get dry on the edges. A problem I had with my trees is clay soil. It does not allow any drainage, and rots the roots. I have begun to have success by creating a buffer of well draining soil around the root-balls when planting, also planting higher than ground level mounded up creates more drainage. I have a video on my experiences with piss draining soil. I had 2 avocado trees die this way. I bet the problem was water, not the aphids. Peep my video, hope your tree comes back, those 3in1 4in1 trees are AWESOME! -ITS NOT ABOUT PEARS BUT ABOUT DRAINAGE & PREVENTING ROOT ROT-

It's not strange at all, even if it might seem so to some who aren't aware of how severe are the limitations that can be imposed by root congestion. Too, I didn't go all anthropomorphic and suggest the plant wanted to strangle itself. Given any plant, the roots of which are tangled and wrapped around each other such as the conditions that are prevalent in plants left to become badly root bound - encircling/girdling/crossing, j-hooked roots, roots growing straight up or straight down, roots growing back toward the center of the root mass, are all part of the condition. When you put that plant in the landscape, the problems aren't "solved", and they don't go away w/o intervention. They remain and are limiting for whatever length of time it takes for the plant to give up the ghost. This plant, though not hibiscus, would never do well if I just planted it out in the landscape with the root mass intact.It would falter and die within a few years because the roots would cut off the flow of water/nutrients/bio-compounds to the top and carbohydrates + other bio-compounds to the roots. The same plant (below), with the roots properly attended to, has a much longer life expectancy, thanks to the root work. Same deal here and here:Al