My Apple Tree Got Mowed Down

It looks good, and it's nice to see how it's doing now!
Quite well!

I would cut off the bad leaves though.

It's always amazing to see how resilient nature often is.
Persistent, is possibly the word.

Rust on apple sapling leaves is typically caused by fungal diseases with names like cedar-apple rust, quince rust, and hawthorn rust. They usually get it if there's a red cedar or juniper tree nearby, but fungi can be airborn...a stiff wind could have brought it.

But it was probably on that gardener's mower blades. That's more likely if other trees aren't nearby.

Yeah, you gotta trim those bits off and then wash the tool you use with soap and water. Wash it before, too!

There are two large evergreens out back, but I don't know if they are spruce - I never looked very closely at them. There's a small spruce by the back deck. Only other trees nearby are maples.