Apple sooty blotch

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Saturday, 23 March 2019 at 3:00 pm

Prevent apple sooty blotch spoiling the appearance of your apples, using organic or chemical means described in our guide.

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Apple sooty blotch is caused by an overwintering fungus, which is typically found on trees or branches growing in shade and damp. It creates a splatter of dark, sooty spots all over the skin of the fruit, although the flesh isn't affected at all and the taste doesn't suffer. The spots can be easily scraped off.

Symptoms

A plethora of sooty, greenish or brown spots all over the fruit, which usually appear during cold, wet seasons, and particularly on shady parts of the tree.

Find it on

apples, pears, plums

Organic

Good garden hygiene eases many fungal problems, so ensure you clear away all fallen, affected fruits and leaves by late-autumn. Dispose of them but not on your compost heap, as this could redistribute the fungus around the garden.

Chemical

There's no specific control, but spraying for apple scab using myclobutanil fungicide at regular intervals during the growing season invariably eliminates the problem.