Ravi:

Yellowing and falling of leaves is one of the symptoms of bacterial disease. I don't know of anything that can be done about it once it is underway, but a young, healthy tree can usually stand one or two bouts of this disease. It will, however, weaken the tree during this growing season enough that any fruit you may have will be small and stunted. May as well take them off now.

This next dormant season, spray your tree thoroughly with a strong copper compound, once at leaf fall and again just before bud break. That is the only effective way I know of to head off this disease, and it must be headed off before it develops.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Just to follow up. There are no more yellow leaves on the tree and the tree looks great with lots of fruit. Does this mean that the pictures represent something else??

Thanks alot,

Ravi

Ravi:

Sometimes weather conditions that have favored spread of disease change, and the disease goes into remission. But I would not assume it is gone completely, even though new growth is healthy. Dormant spraying is the best way to ensure it does not return next season, possibly more severely. A young tree with yellowing leaves needs to have bacterial disease headed off before it gains a really good foothold.

I don't know what pictures you mean, so can't help you there.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA