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Pale leaves on an apple tree are an alarming sign that indicates the development of some disease or insect damage. Based on this sign, the gardener must understand that the plant is experiencing a disturbance in the process of photosynthesis and needs help. It is important for every summer resident to determine the causes of pale leaves as soon as possible and begin proper treatment of the tree.
The vital activity of the plant when lightening the leaf plates depends entirely on the gardener
Why do the leaves of the apple tree turn light green?
There are many reasons for changes in the color of apple tree leaves, but it is obvious that pale or light green leaf plates are a signal that the garden is not being properly cared for. First, the summer resident needs to try to determine the cause of the disease, which will make it possible to choose the right measures to eliminate it. Often it is enough to adjust the care measures or spray the trees.
Light leaves on the apple tree may appear at the end of May or even earlier, the reasons for this are:
- Pests.Insects such as mites, thrips, and aphids that parasitize plants are often an indicator of a change in the color of leaf blades and a deterioration in the condition of trees.
- Diseases. Infectious and fungal diseases, as well as chlorosis, cause foliage to wilt and fall, which begins with a change in its color.
- Lack or excess of moisture. The first leads to the fact that the leaves of the apple tree become dull, then dry out, then fall off, the second contributes to the rotting of the root system, as a result of which the tree cannot feed normally, and its leaf plates become flabby, pale and dull.
- Deficiency or excess of nutrients. Often, pale leaves of plants are the cause of improper content of various substances in the soil. Therefore, fertilizing and feeding trees should always be done correctly and strictly according to the instructions.
In addition to these reasons, pale leaves on an apple tree may be due to frostbite. This often happens in early spring and in the second half of autumn, when the air temperature becomes negative at night.
In order for apple trees to be healthy, they need to be properly cared for and planted with varieties suitable for the area.
Spider mite
If the leaves on the apple tree have become light green in color, and upon closer inspection small dots can be seen on them, then this is a sign of spider mite parasitism. Usually at the initial stage of an insect invasion there are few inclusions, but as the colony grows their number increases and the foliage becomes completely lighter. At this stage of infection, synthesis in the cells of the apple tree is disrupted, its young shoots stop developing, and the growth of the tree slows down.On the branches you can see small cobwebs that have a silvery tint; the shoots of the apple tree dry out, it does not bloom or its ovaries die. If you do not take any action at this moment, you will not be able to harvest the tree, the entire crown will be covered with cobwebs, and the leaves on the reverse side will be covered with black dots - waste products of the insect.
Spider mites are small pests that cannot be seen on foliage. It feeds on its juice, provokes tissue death, and carries dangerous diseases.
The pest spreads by wind and multiplies quickly
False spider mite
The phalaenopsis (false) mite is even smaller in size than the spider mite, reproduces much more slowly, does not form a web, and parasitizes alone and not in a colony. Because of it, the leaves on the apple tree also turn pale green, but this already occurs during an active attack by insects. Here, only chemical drugs can cope with the disease; traditional methods are powerless.
The false tick does more harm in wet weather.
Trips
A blue-legged insect up to 20 mm in size, it reproduces quickly and is capable of developing immunity to insecticides. Thrips suck the juice from plants; after their attack, the leaves of the apple tree turn light green, the flowers dry out and fall off, and the ovaries do not appear. If treatment is not started in time, the tree will become bare and stop growing. At the first signs of a thrips attack, the apple tree should be fumigated with a smoke bomb containing nicotine, and three days later treated with Fitoverm.
Three-time treatment with different means will help to completely get rid of the pest.
Aphid
Aphids are small pests with a proboscis that feed on the sap from apple tree leaves, which subsequently turn pale.The insect multiplies massively and causes great damage to the tree. When the leaf plates lighten and begin to curl, and small bugs are visible on their inside, you should immediately begin fighting them. If you miss this moment, all the leaves will turn yellow and fly off, the fruits will become tasteless, and the tree will lose resistance to frost.
Among the folk remedies, tobacco and soap solutions help to overcome aphids
Mosaic
If white, pale or light green patterns appear along the veins of apple tree leaves, then this may be an untreatable viral disease - mosaic. It develops in living plant cells, spreads quickly, contributes to a lag in the development of the tree, but the foliage does not dry out and remains in place.
As they are discovered, parts of the apple tree affected by the mosaic are removed and burned.
milky shine
A rare fungal disease, milky shine, can also manifest itself as a pale, often light gray color of the leaves of the apple tree, as well as a silvery tint; dark brown spots can be seen on the trunk. Over time, the leaves dry out at the ends and then fall off. The cause of the disease is a lack of minerals.
You can try to get rid of milky shine using Bordeaux mixture
Chlorosis
Chlorosis is a problem that is most often caused by a lack of iron or mineral salts. Pale leaves at the time of the onset of the disease appear due to low chlorophyll productivity. This can lead to a decrease in yield and resistance to frost, death of shoots, bark and even the root system. The problem is eliminated by fertilizing the soil and irrigating the leaves with solutions containing the missing substances.
Advanced chlorosis looks the same - pale or yellow leaves that dry out and fall off
Improper watering
Pale leaves on an apple tree can be not only due to diseases and pests, but also due to improperly organized watering. An adult tree needs to moisten the trunk circle (40-50 l), sprinkling to a depth of 0.5 m and drip irrigation.
Lack of microelements
Lack of microelements significantly affects any plant. A deficiency of a particular substance can be determined by its shape, color, size, and the presence of spots on the leaves. Typically, the cause of a lack of nutrients is an unbalanced soil composition: low or high pH level, excess peat, sand, chernozem. The content of microelements is also affected by the weather, especially low temperatures.
Most often, a tree lacks the following elements:
- Gland. The leaves turn light green and even white and begin to fall off ahead of time. Iron chelate or the following products will help fill the deficiency of the substance: Agricola, Ferovit, Brexil.
- Manganese and magnesium. The foliage becomes whitish between the veins and has a black border around the edge. In this case, the tree needs to be treated with magnesium nitrate or sulfate with the addition of potassium permanganate.
- Nitrogen. The leaf blades are pale on the lower branches, and young shoots acquire a reddish tint. Urea will help eliminate the problem.
- Sulfur.First, pale veins appear on the leaves, then they completely turn white or yellow. Young plates are the first to suffer. Sulfur deficiency should be treated with potassium, ammonium or magnesium sulfate.
- Calcium. Pale leaf tips. The apple tree requires the addition of chalk, slaked lime or dolomite flour.
What to do if your apple tree has pale green leaves
If pale leaves appear on old or young apple trees, then action should be taken immediately. First, you need to water the ground under the trees with a zinc solution (250 g per 1 liter). Then you should remove all damaged parts of the plant. If the cause of the pale leaves is a pest, then you need to treat the apple tree with insecticides. You can try to eliminate cancer damage with an antiseptic solution of copper sulfate, but first remove all diseased elements. After treatment, lubricate the damaged areas with garden varnish.
If the leaves of the apple tree become pale in the spring, before the buds break, they can be treated with a 3% solution of zinc sulfate. For severe lesions, make a more concentrated mixture - 5 or even 12%.
If there is such a possibility, then it is advisable to do a laboratory analysis of the soil and determine which elements are excess or missing in it. This will help adjust the feeding of the apple tree.
Competent prevention and timely treatment will be the key to the healthy development of culture
Prevention measures
To prevent the leaves of the apple tree from turning pale green, it is imperative to carry out preventive measures in the spring and throughout the season:
- Remove weeds from the tree trunk area.
- Destroy anthills.
- Carry out sanitary and formative pruning of the apple tree.
- Clear the tree trunk circle of fallen leaves and fruits.
- Apply necessary fertilizers in a timely manner.
- Three times a season (in spring, before sap flow, in autumn) spray the apple tree with Fitoverm.
Conclusion
Pale leaves on an apple tree appear due to many reasons. In most cases, the plates change color due to disease or insect attack; this is facilitated by improper care of the crop. Therefore, in order to get a high-quality and large harvest from an apple tree, it is important to follow all the rules for growing it: water and fertilize the crop on time, and carry out preventive procedures in spring and autumn.
