Fire blight is a serious disease of apple, pear, raspberry, and some related ornamental plants. Outbreaks are sporadic, but when conditions are favorable, young trees can be lost to this devastating disease.
Silver leaf is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of deciduous trees. It has the biggest impact on fruit trees such as apple, pear and cherry, but can also affect ornamental trees.
Red star rust (also known as Japanese apple rust or lipstick rust) is a type of Gymnosporangium rust. This plant disease is particularly concerning because of its potential negative impact in commercial apple production.
What is blister canker? Blister canker (also known as nailhead canker) is a potentially lethal disease that primarily affects apple and crabapple trees. Other trees and shrubs grown in Wisconsin that can be affected by the disease include American elm, honey locust, hornbeam, magnolia, mountain-ash (rowan), oak, pear, and serviceberry. What does blister canker look […]
Home gardens with only a few trees make limiting pesticide use feasible while still producing a great crop of apples. This publication outlines basic principles of pest management for home-grown apples.
Producing apples in home gardens can be challenging due to damage by insects and fungal diseases. One effective organic solution is placing developing fruit in bags. This factsheet describes the process.
Wisconsin always has a risk of spring frosts, which can injure or kill flowers or immature fruit. This factsheet outlines critical temperatures and describes ways to protect against late season frosts.
While more common in apples and pears, fireblight also affects raspberries. Find out how to spot, prevent and control this disease in your raspberry patch in this publication.
This factsheet will help with the identification of some common leaf diseases of deciduous trees.
Gymnosporangium rusts, such as Cedar Apple Rust, need both junipers and woody plants in the rose family to complete their life cycle. Learn more in this factsheet.
Gray mold (or Botrytis blight) is a common and often serious fungal disease that can affect plants of all kinds. Learn more in this factsheet.
Armillaria root disease, also known as shoestring root rot, can affect most conifer and hardwood species, and is an often lethal disease of tree and shrub roots and lower stems. Learn more in this factsheet.