Anyone?

Has it been like this since planting or is it something new? The winds and heat we've had recently have really dried things out. I'd give it a good, slow soak with a hose on a trickle. Really saturate the root zone and see if it helps. I'd also get some mulch down around the trunk, a 3ft circle of mulch about 2-3 inches deep. Keep the mulch off the trunk.

It may be fungal. You can snip off a branch and take it to your county extension service. For a fee they can analyze the branch and tell you what's going on. Or you could post the question and pic on their Ask an Expert forum. I'll post a link to Broomfield's ext. service below, since I think they may be closer than Jefferson County.

Broomfield County Extension

Thanks, Treebarb. It may be time to get to know my county extension office. I don't see any sign of fungus or bugs. I will try a long soak....I only planted it this spring and I do get a lot of wind.

Any improvement, Faith? I have to ask, is the braided trunk in the center of the pic the apple tree trunk? That's cool!

Thanks for asking. It doesn't seem any better, but it doesn't seem any worse, either. I gave it a good soak and looked for signs of insects or mold. But I haven't called the county extension office.

Treebarb, its two types of apple trees that are twisted around each other.

gjcore, thanks for the book recommendation. I've lived in homes with mature fruit trees before, but I've never grown them from saplings before.

Faith, How is your tree? We have a 3 year old Red Delicious and a 50+ year old green apple tree that have the same curl. The leaves are starting to selectively brown and die. Did your supplemental watering help? Did you ever learn more? We have given them several good soaks in the last month or so and the do not seem to have made an impact. Thanks for your post and input.

My 15 year old red delicious looks really similar with the leaf curl. How would I tell if it were aphids? I haven't seen any on the leaves themselves, but could they be in the trunk? Mine gets plenty of water as the sprinklers hit it twice a week.

We are in a holding pattern at my house. I never called my he county extension office (or at least I haven't yet). Soaking seems to have no effect, and there is another little apple tree (different variety) about 15 feet away that is fat and healthy. But the curly-leaves tree doesn't seem to be getting any worse...if I learn anything I'll come back and share.

Our Brighton City Arborist came out and looked at our trees. He thinks it is Fire Blight. Older tree definitely looks like it is and I am trimming to stop spread accordingly, younger one still just has some curl so probably going to wait and see on that one.

Oh...that sounds serious. What did the arborist say about it? What do you look for, and how do you treat it?

Faith, did your tree survive or ever get better or worse? I have the same problem on a tree planted last spring.