Apple Cedar Rust War

Back to this Apple Cedar Rust... I've got to go to declare war, we just planted 50 apple trees & right next to one big bubba red cedar & they have it. The big guy is coming down this weekend! They grow wild here, so I may loose a lot of trees & a lot of money & hardwork.

We also have established Leyland Cyprus trees close by. Will Leyland Cypress trees also cause Cedar Apple Rust too? I don't "think" they are related but they look & smell so similar to Red Cedar Trees ~ I thought I should ask.

Oh boy, if we had only known "before" planting. (sigh)
Any additional hindsight is greatly appreciated!!!

I've read that the fungi spores can travel several miles to infect alternate hosts. Eastern red cedar has naturalized in the eastern part of the state so apples are not recommended. By chance did you plant some rust resistant apple varieties? Unless you cut down all cedar trees for miles all around you, you will have to manage the rust with a fungicide. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service office for the names of some that can be used in your area. Some may require an applicator's license.

Gardensquare, from what I have read, the cedar apple rust can come from any tree in the Cypress family. I only have one apple tree which I planted last fall and it is a Rome apple. This spring the leaves were beautiful and the tree was growing just great. Then one day the rust appeared on the leaves almost overnight and the tree has stopped growing and looks terrible with all the leaves covered with the rust! I wished I had planted another variety that's resistant to the rust. I hate having to use chemicals to keep it free of this disease.

Thank you both!

I think I am getting convinced that my fruit crop should be figs, (when the Winter isn't too cold) blueberries (great for my area) and blackberries (grow wild all around me)!

I have one Methley plum that gets attacked by lesser peach borer. I spray it with Premethrin 4 or 5 times from Spring to Summer and maybe next Winter/Spring will allow blossom & fruit set. Now I find that all the cedar around spells doom for my Gala and Fuji apple trees (that also didn't bloom due to the long late wither this year).

Maybe Dave's needs a forum title WHY not to plant this ;o)

I have sprayed all the new growth on my Rome apple with "Neem" which the nursery place told me was good for cedar apple rust, and so far, it seems to be working. Most all of the leaves that emerged before I found out about the rust problem have turned yellow and are falling off. But the new leaves, since I have started spraying with the Neem fungicide, are looking healthy. Seems like there is something you have to fight with just about every fruit bearing tree there is! How come maple trees and such never have these kinds of diseases?

K4CLE,

Because we let the few maple trees that get a disease die. However, developers are planting so many maple trees now, I predict a disease will be successful soon.

Pbyrley,

So far, I have been able to keep the rust from attacking the new growth on my Rome apple tree. That's because I spray it about every two weeks. I hate to think that I am going to have to do that every year! I guess I will try my hand at grafting resistant varieties on to this apple tree. and hopefully one day get it to where such frequent spraying will not be necessary. As far as I can determine, there are no actual Cedar trees near by me, but there are all kinds of other trees in the Cypress family near by which I am sure are the culprit. I thought I would order an Arkansas Black apple tree this fall and plant it just to see if it will be attacked by the rust. I have read that the Red Delicious is immune to the rust, but I really don't care for that variety. What's been your experience with the rust?

I can tell you my experience this year. The last few years I have had a bad problem with apple cedar rust on my mayhaw trees. This year I sprayed a fungicide on them in early and late March and have only found ONE bud with rust. Also, last year I cut every branch, leaf, fruit off the first moment I found rust.

With the hot and humid weather we have been having, it rains just about once a week. These conditions have made for a lot of new growth on the apple tree. I spray the Neem fungicide every couple weeks in an attempt to try staying ahead of the rust and so far, it seems to be working. I will start spraying early next spring as soon as I see buds starting to grow. Maybe, as you say, early spraying in the spring will be all that's necessary.

I have been looking into the varieties that are more resistant to the rust. However, others are telling me that those varieties usually are not very good eating apples. A forum on "what not to plant" is a good idea - wish I had known about the cedar apple rust before I planted this Rome apple tree!

Thank you K4CLE for the neem oil advice! I already use neem oil in my garden when needed.
I feel safer using that, than some of this "other stuff" available. We have bees, so again, "Thanks for the idea!"
Hope you all have a good gardening year!