Scale on Crabapple

I got a crabapple last year from Plant City Bonsai, came to late to work with but it bloomed some pretty flowers. It did not form any apples last year. This spring I moved it into a pot and cut back some of the tall branches, it came out really well, not but a couple of flowers but I figured it was due to the root work and cut back. I am letting a couple of the new shoots grow in hopes of getting a couple of new branches for that side. With our mild weather I have not had to water but about every 3 day, which at end of the 3rd day it my have a slight wilt to the leaves. Today was one of those days it had started to wilt. As I was watering, I noticed the tan spots on the shoot. At first I thought it was just growing and then realized what it was. I tried to spray with water, but did not use much force as this is new growth and it did not come off. I included the pictures just to see if you agree it is scale. I mixed up some Neem Oil and sprayed it good tonight, any other good action I can take to make sure the scale is gone?

Aren't crabapples like that?

I ask first.... ... I was not sure if that is normal growth, this is my second year with it. I did try to scrap it off and it came off but too small to tell anything about it. It would be great if that is normal!

barrosinc said:

Aren't crabapples like that?

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Yep.

Well that is 2 "Super Like" from me to Max and Brian! I lost a really nice Fukien tea to scale a few years ago so I try to keep on guard. That is good news, the tree got a nice coat of Neem Oil which should not hurt anything.
Thanks!

A quick scale test is a cotton swab dipped in alcohol - gently rub the 'thingy'/spot. Spray for scale if the 'thingy' comes off (maybe verify by repeating on another 'thingy' first).

I have 70% isopropyl alcohol around for sterilizing my cutting tools. Lifetime supply Several year's worth of cotton swabs is something like $10 at Costco. At any rate the test is cheaper than the NEEM you just sprayed.

You don't water until the leaves go limp...I heard these guys like water...so, I am curious if that will slow its growth process if you allow the leaves to go limp. I'm also new to crabapples. Was told to be spot on proactive fungus treatment, these things get scab quite easy. I keep it marked on my calendar for proactive treatment of my trees. (Which is why I used a slight organic to the substrate.)

Lol.....

Sorce

ml_work said:

I mixed up some Neem Oil and sprayed it good tonight, any other good action I can take to make sure the scale is gone?

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You did not hurt anything, but that is normal healthy young growth I just went outside and checked two potted. One is 8 foot Dolgo Russian planted in the pot 3 years ago and on the mature branches they blend into the bark. On the other 2 foot bare root Snowdrift I planted in another pot the entire length of the small trunk displays the same type marks you showed. The bark on the small one is still the same deep maroon color while the large one is now more of a grey color and reddish when wet.
What you need to look for and treat on Crabapples most frequently is a light fuzzy coating on any part of the branches(Cedar Apple Rust). It won't kill the tree but it really messes up the foliage and fruit down the road and can spread to other plants. A good spray of any fungicide in the Fall and Spring holds it at bay and the first two seasons if treated in 10 day cycles during growth it seems to break the cycle here. Then, Spring and Fall as a preventative from that point on. I started using a granular treatment as well and all is working out very good.

Grimmy

A pro-active spray of dormant oil early in the spring while your crap is dormant could be done. Follow directions on the label.

0soyoung said:

scale test is a cotton swab dipped in alcohol - gently rub the 'thingy'/

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Now that I read this I do remember the alcohol test, I used my finger nail and as I said it came off but I could not see / tell anything about it. The scale if fought before was larger but looked very close to what I see.

Cadillactaste said:

You don't water until the leaves go limp.

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That is not my "plan" but it did happen a few times last summer and this year it has been hard to as we have not had much heat yet. I water this tree by hand and sometime it is after dark when I get home. Once we get hot summer it will need water most every day. I would think it could cause undue stress on the tree to allow it to get limp before every watering.

GrimLore said:

You did not hurt anything, but that is normal healthy young growth I just went outside and checked two potted

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Thanks for the double take to check what I was seeing. And reassurance that No Harm was done.

GrimLore said:

What you need to look for and treat on Crabapples most frequently is a light fuzzy coating on any part of the branches

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And it looks light "light fuzzy" in the pictures.... if that what you are talking about?

Cadillactaste said:

Was told to be spot on proactive fungus treatment, these things get scab quite easy. I keep it marked on my calendar for proactive treatment of my trees.

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coppice said:

A pro-active spray of dormant oil early in the spring while your crap is dormant could be done

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Am I getting this confused with other treatments? I had the understanding if you spray for bugs before the bugs are there it can cause them to build up an immune to the spray? I think I read this when I was trying to spray for spider mites on juniper or rollie pollies (whatever they are called) on other trees.

and Sorce, what is this .... are you sending apples my way since my tree did not produce any last year? Thanks!

ml_work said:

what is this

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Crabapples on a scale!

Sorce

sorce said:

Crabapples on a scale!

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It took a minute........but that is Funny!