Knowledgebase
Did I kill my apple tree by overpruning #870741
Asked May 30, 2024, 11:32 AM EDT
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
I see signs of what looks like powdery mildew on many of the leaves and sprouts. You can prune off infected sprouts if there aren't too many. Here is a link to treatment options in the PNW Plant Disease Handbooks. https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/apple-malus-spp-powdery-mildew
I am suspicious that the distorted leaves may also have something to do with weather. Remember that hot spell we had in early May? If you pruned shortly before that, you exposed a lot of previously-shaded leaves to sudden hot sun. Many plants suffered some damage during that spell.
Take good care of the tree and go back to your habit of pruning it properly every year, and I expect it will continue to provide apples for many years to come.