My apple trees leaves look poor compared to my other fruit trees. Some of the leaves shrivel up, some leaves have holes in them. The apple leaves don't look as healthy as the peaches cherries or pears. Is this how apple leaves are? Should I spray the apple trees with soap spray?

When they first come out, they can look curled, stiff and funky, but after they are in full foliage, they should look green and full. You probably have pests if you have holes and shriveled leaves.

The leaves on my parent's apple trees, just about 1000 feet lower than MaggieZ' down in Denver always looked sickly and pale, but year after year my mom made many wonderful pies from the fruit.

My own trees are only two years old and not bearing yet, but I have to say that their leaves look similarly pale and unhealthy compared to the slick, healthly looking leaves of my neighbor's crab apple.

But I am going to be interested in hearing what some of the more experienced fruit growers have to say.

If you have ants herding aphids on your tree(s), a daily spritz of insecticidal soap may make both you and your tree feel better.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ctdahle:
The leaves on my parent's apple trees, just about 1000 feet lower than MaggieZ' down in Denver always

Denver averages about 5,500' and I'm 2000' higher, but we are only one zone off and even that can be pushed a bit. I bet your folks have a nice garden.

M

The holes probably mean you have a bug, however sometimes mine will go brown and curl at the edges if we had a bit of a frost, then the holes come with the bugs. I tried a soap spray and it helped with ants when my trees got them a few years back, I made sure I sprayed the base too.