Apple tree woes

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SandySunshine

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Apple tree woes
« on: June 26, 2017, 12:55:16 PM »
My recently planted apple tree has some leaves that look as if they've been burnt at the edges :-\ My recently planted pear tree looks worse than the apple and has a lot of brown leaves.  I'm watering in the evenings and the trees are in an area that does get quite a lot of sunshine - and it's HOOOOOOTTTTT here at the moment - but it also gets a lot of shade from a nearby pine tree.  The two orange trees planted in the same area at the same time are fine.  Perhaps I should stick to indigenous species?  Or maybe I'm over/under watering?  Any ideas please?
Moved from an mature garden in Worcestershire to a mudpatch with trees in Northern Mallorca!  Hot sun, high humidity, rare but extremely heavy rain and high winds on occasion - probably not ideal gardening conditions I guess.  I'll need a lot of advice as I know very little!

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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Apple tree woes
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2017, 06:20:38 PM »
I'm afraid I think your trees are unhappy with their location. Here is Greece we have wonderful varieties of apples and pears but they grow to the north at high elevations of maybe 300-350 m where the rains last longer, the temperature is lower and the soil is deeper. Cherries and plums also have the same needs. Down here in the searing heat we have our own wonderful fruit: all the different citruses, figs, loquats, apricots and nectarines. Have a look in your meighbours's gardens and see what does well.
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece

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John J

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Re: Apple tree woes
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2017, 06:35:46 PM »
I have to agree with Fleur, it depends very much on the variety of apple that you are trying to grow. We have two apple trees in our garden in Cyprus at an altitude of no more than 30/40 metres asl and they are fine. However they are a variety that has been proven to survive in these conditions. I have no idea what their official designation is, all I know is that locally they are called 'Anna'.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

SandySunshine

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Re: Apple tree woes
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2017, 04:51:25 PM »
Hi and thanks for your advice. I thought it was odd to find apple and pear trees here, to be honest, but as I bought them at a local co-operative garden centre, I thought they must be ok to grow here.  I will persevere with the apple but I think the pear may be unsaveable  :(  Oh well, I wanted a nectarine tree and another lemon, so perhaps that's the way I'll go.  We did have a healthy nectarine tree growing in the garden when we bought the house, but the builders pulled it out and threw it on the bonfire (complete with fruit!) because it was 'in the way'!!!!  We have 4 figs, 2 grapevines (with grapes!), a plum, olive, prickly pear and a thriving pomegranate too  8)
Moved from an mature garden in Worcestershire to a mudpatch with trees in Northern Mallorca!  Hot sun, high humidity, rare but extremely heavy rain and high winds on occasion - probably not ideal gardening conditions I guess.  I'll need a lot of advice as I know very little!

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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Apple tree woes
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2017, 05:05:32 PM »
What a pity the builders didn't pull out the prickly pear rather then the nectarine. It has beautiful flowers but you need a man of steel outfit to prune it. I forgot about pomegranate because I don't eat the fruit, but again the flowers are wonderful. I'm afraid I grow ornamental ones much to my family's disgust. Quince is another fruit tree which is unaffected by the heat.
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece