Mineing beetle on dwarf apple tree

Hi, l am new to this forum so hello to all.

2 years ago l purchased a dwarf apple tree from a reputable dealer and last year all the leaves had a brown eratic line running through them, l took a leaf back to the dealer who informed me that the tree was infected with mining beetle? and gave me a copper solution, l applied this on 2 occasions last spring but it dident do a thing? although the fruit was ok there was not as much crop as the year before. the tree looks so ugly with all the marked leaves and wondered if anyone could possibly advise?

Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated.

kind regards

Robert

 

Hi and wekcome to the Forum. It is very annoying and ugly is it not? Actually though apart from that it does little harm to the tree as long as it is healthy and growing well. Copper sulphate would have no effect on it in any case. The larva of the leaf miner is well protected by the skin of the leaf so no insecticide can reach it from outside. You would need a systemic insecticide which would effect the apples. We get a bit of it, I usually remove the leaves and burn them.
The lack of fruit is more likely caused by something else, is the tree hungry? Is there another tree nearby to help pollenation? Was the blossom affected by late frost? Hard to say really. I would spray the tree bark now (before it gets leaves) with a Winter Wash (organic is this). This will kill off any buggits living in the bark. Then I would give the tree a good feed with a general fertiliser and then a soaking of tomato feed when the blossom is on. Can do no harm and it might do some good!