Why do cherry leaves wither: causes and what to do, control measures
Thanks to breeders, sweet cherries are grown in different regions of the country, enabling gardeners to collect juicy and sweet berries. However, mistakes in caring for the plant, diseases, and an inappropriate climate may be the reasons why the leaves of the sweet cherry began to wither. Having planted a tree in your home, you need to properly care for it so that it does not become infected with diseases and does not suffer from harmful insects.
Why can cherries dry?
The gardener most often notices that a tree is sick or attacked by pests when external signs appear, such as wilting, drying of foliage, ovaries.The problem should be de alt with quickly, as external lesions lead to a decrease or lack of yield, and sometimes to the death of the plant.
Landing errors
The main factor influencing the fact that the sweet cherry dries is the failure to follow the correct process of planting a tree. The plant loves light and sun. It should be protected from cold winds, drafts.
When purchasing a seedling from a nursery or garden markets, pay attention to the aerial part of the plant and the rhizome. It is recommended to plant an annual plant, as it takes root faster.
Important: overdried roots provoke the death of the whole tree.
Timely landing remains an important factor. A pit for a seedling is prepared in advance so that the soil in it is settled, and the root neck is located at or slightly above the ground. If you stick a plant in a fresh hole, it, along with the earth, will settle, which will lead to the oppression of the culture.
You can not plant a plant shallowly, otherwise the root system of the cherry seedling will begin to dry out. It is not recommended to apply a lot of mineral fertilizer to the planting pit. As a result, the tree may begin to dry out and die.
Unfavorable climatic conditions
Unfavorable weather has a harmful effect. The hot, arid climate leads to the fact that the leaves of the sweet cherry, which has already begun to bear fruit, may begin to dry. The situation is corrected with regular watering. It is recommended to dig a shallow ditch around the tree. After watering, the soil is mulched with sawdust and grass. The layer of mulch should be at least 10 centimeters.
This crop is a heat-loving plant, so it must be carefully prepared for winter. Otherwise, next spring, the young leaves will fall off, and the trunk will crack and become bare. The following actions will help to avoid freezing:
- prune damaged branches;
- remove dead bark;
- wrap the seedling with covering material in autumn;
- fertilize the rhizome well before preparing for winter;
- paint the trunk with lime or special paint.
Without protection from adverse weather conditions, the plant loses moisture, decreases or stops fruiting.
Exposure to disease
The garden needs systemic protection. Various diseases lead to crop loss, drying of shoots and leaves. Many diseases can be prevented if signs of their development are noticed in time. The most common are fungal infections, which appear mainly with careless garden care. Less common is bacterial contamination.
Verticillosis
Infection causes the tree to dry out. The disease often affects young plants, and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- leaf edges curl along the main vein;
- buds open and fade in 7-10 days;
- fruits stop ripening.
As a result, the foliage falls off, and the trunk is completely exposed. Root top dressing with wood ash, urea or potassium sulfate helps against the disease.
Moniliosis
Signs of disease are withering leaves, drying flowers, rotting berries. The ends of the branches turn black and look like burnt, and gray growths appear on the bark.
The main measure to combat the disease is the removal of infected leaves and fruits, spraying with fungicides. If the tree has faded, it is recommended to spray with preparations containing copper. Prevention is also carried out on neighboring plants.
Insect pests
Harmful insects cause damage to the plant - from the root to the berries. To figure out how to help the cherry, attacking pests should be identified.
California scale insect
Dangerous quarantine insect surprises with its disguise. Outwardly resembles a bark, so it is difficult to notice. The parasite sucks the juices from the tree, gradually leading to its death.
The signs by which the presence of a scale insect is determined are as follows:
- leaves turn yellow and fall;
- bark is cracking;
- plant growth slows down.
The reason for the appearance is an excess amount of nitrogen fertilizer, drought. It is difficult to remove pests, since they are covered with shells, and chemicals do not work on them. Removed mechanically with a metal brush. After the procedure, the branches and trunk are treated with a solution of laundry soap.
Bark beetle
Insects gnaw through the bark and infect the tree with the fungus Monilia candida.Over time, they multiply so much that it becomes impossible to remove them. Having found parasites, it is necessary to clean the bark with a special scraper. After assessing the situation, treat the infected areas with chemicals. If the branch is seriously affected, it should be cut and burned.
What if the causes are not identified?
After examining the tree, and not seeing signs of disease or insects, it is recommended to pay attention to the rhizome of the tree. It can be damaged by moles or the larvae of the bear, the cockchafer.
Get rid of moles with professional preparations, acoustic method, repellent odors. You can protect the tree from burrowing harmful insects with a soapy solution, marigolds planted nearby and various traps, as well as chemicals.
The reason for the wilting of the leaves may be the excess of the applied fertilizer. An agronomist is able to determine the exact cause of the drying of shoots and leaves. A professional will not only identify the factor that negatively affects the tree, but also give advice on restoring the plant.
How to prevent shrinkage?
Having found massive drying of branches and fruits on a tree due to illness, you need to immediately take preventive actions. Namely:
- remove infected shoots and burn;
- carry out sanitary pruning to control the condition of the crown;
- lubricate the cracks in the trunk with garden pitch;
- collect fallen leaves and burn them;
- dig deep around the tree;
- after flowering, treat the plant with Bordeaux liquid, blue vitriol.
Attention should be paid to the care of the crop, namely, to ensure timely watering, mulching, pruning, whitewashing and shelter for the winter. The first treatment should be carried out before bud break. For this, carbamide, iron sulfate are suitable. Then mandatory autumn spraying is carried out, after harvesting the fruits.Preparations that increase resistance to adverse weather are suitable for processing - Zircon, Ecoberin biocomplex.
The most effective remedy for diseases is compliance with agrotechnical rules, as well as proper care.
It is important for a gardener to recognize signs of disease in time and identify a harmful insect. This will help you choose effective ways to save the tree and get a generous harvest.
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