My Apple Tree Got Mowed Down

My little apple tree doesn't look well. There are yellow, raised spots on the leaves. I'm not going to try to remedy this since this was just an experiment to start with. I checked the other apple seedling I have and it's the same. I looked online and this is a fairly common problem with apple trees.

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I would confront her and ask why she mowed it over. Make her aware of the senselessness of it. Then I would inform her that this inexcusable act is the cause of her boss losing you as a customer.
 

I sent a photo to Cornell Cooperative Extension and was surprised I received an answer so quickly:

Hi Debbie,
It looks like you have cedar apple rust. Below is a little background on it and then beneath that is how to handle it. Sadly, we are too far into Spring to spray a fungicide as you want to spray right before the buds begin to open.

Cultural control practices

Tolerate leaf spots and fruit infection on apples, hawthorns, serviceberry and other plants in the Rosaceae family. They do not significantly affect the health of the tree if leaf loss does not occur.
  • Do not plant eastern red cedar and juniper plants within a few hundred yards of susceptible Rosaceae plants. This will reduce disease problems but not completely eliminate them.
  • Inspect nearby juniper and red cedar trees in late winter or early spring. Prune and remove brown, woody galls found before orange, gelatinous structures form in the spring. This will help reduce the level of infection on nearby Rosaceae plants.
  • Prune and remove infected twigs or branches on Rosaceae plants if they occur.
Fungicides

Fungicides are not recommended to protect trees from infection with cedar apple rust and related rust fungi. Trees and shrubs often tolerate infection.
  • There are no fungicides available to home gardeners that can be used on trees that produce fruit that will be eaten by people.
  • Fungicides are available to protect trees and shrubs that are for ornamental purposes only.
    • Fungicides with the active ingredient Myclobutanil are most effective in preventing rust. Copper and sulfur products can be used as well.
    • Fungicides are only effective if applied before leaf spots or fruit infection appear
    • Spray trees and shrubs when flower buds first emerge until spring weather becomes consistently warm and dry.
    • Monitor nearby junipers. Fungicides must be applied to crabapple, hawthorn, and other ornamental Rosaceae plants when gelatinous, orange, spore-producing structures appear on galls and branches.

Trees and shrubs in the Rosaceae family are highly attractive to bees, birds, and other wildlife. Avoid using fungicides if possible.


CAUTION: Mention of a pesticide or use of a pesticide label is for educational purposes only. Always follow the pesticide label directions attached to the pesticide container you are using. Be sure that the area you wish to treat is listed on the label of the pesticide you intend to use. Remember, the label is the law.
 
When you looked up the problem, did you see the solution?

One simple thing that will help is pruning off 2 or 3 of the lowest offshoots; the ones closest to the ground, at the base of the sapling. Snip those off and then put a glob of something like vaseline on the wound (or tar, if you happen to have some)....something to keep bugs and mites from boring in. There'll be suggestions for that online.
 
This is the kind of thing that makes me angry but can't kick the guy's butt because we live in a society where we all must try to get along and so forth.
 
I sent him an email expressing my displeasure. It is the same scenario as the other guy - he sent someone else to mow, so the new guy probably wasn't aware of the tree in the dark. When I paid him I thought he did look different, but I am not great shakes at remembering faces if I've only interacted with them once or twice.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
That’s beautiful. It looks so healthy.
Deb’s would have done better in a pot also.
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Deb should really take a good look at what a healthy apple tree looks like.
Pinky said:
Deb, how about putting your little tree in a deep plant pot, instead of in the lawn?
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I agree. Clearly the apple tree doesn’t do well on the lawn. She’s taken pictures of the rabbits that visit her lawn. One was lying on her lawn. Maybe it ate all the leaves off. I doubt a mower could just take off the leaves without damaging the stem or branches.
Michael Z said:
You sure it was mowed and not chewed by a rabbit? I have had damage looking like that from rabbits.
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I agree also. If it were run over by the mower Deb has shown us they use, the entire top would have been cut off.
 
debodun said:
It happened again! My apple tree was mowed over (or his trimmer got it). I attribute that to him mowing in the dark, although I pointed it out to him when he mowed the last time. WHAT IS WITH THESE GUYS?

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Deb, I was looking at some trees we planted last year. I put a piece of neon pool noodle on a stick. It showed up good. This one is getting old but you get the idea. I planted some little azaleas where my neighbors dog likes to walk. I put bright silver dollar store pin wheels next to them and he steers clear. They put off a lot of reflection.
I guess either wouldn't help at night unless you use glow in the dark.
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