Having just one fruit tree in a small garden can make a huge difference but in a larger garden such a tree can grow to maturity and there can be room for another one or two. In the case of fruit bearing trees this is great news because it is often necessary to have both a male and female tree to ensure germination. However those gardeners who grow pitted fruit trees, such as plum or cherry trees, will know that these types of fruit tree can often prove to be more susceptible to disease than others.

Having just one fruit tree in a small garden can make a huge difference but in a larger garden such a tree can grow to maturity and there can be room for another one or two. In the case of fruit bearing trees this is great news because it is often necessary to have both a male and female tree to ensure germination. However those gardeners who grow pitted fruit trees, such as plum or cherry trees, will know that these types of fruit tree can often prove to be more susceptible to disease than others.

One of the most common diseases to be seen in fruit trees is something known as 'Brown Rot' (so called because of it's appearance). Most often this fruit tree disease can be seen making an appearance upon fallen fruit that has been allowed to remain on the ground for a while. Brown Rot is a fungus and as such it produces a mass of spores which can cause infection to spread onto the tree and especially the fruit.

For fungus to grow successfully it requires the right conditions which are mainly areas which remain damp and offer a suitable source of food. Obviously there are many parts on a fruit tree that could prove to be highly suitable and it is for this reason that an outbreak of Brown Rot can spread so quickly. Luckily we can help to reduce the suitability of the environment for fungal growth by simply pruning the fruit tree correctly.

A good strong and healthy tree with vigorous growth will be more able to avoid infection, or, if it does develop disease it will be well equipped to recover from it quickly. One of the ways in which we can ensure that our trees remain in peak condition is to prune them regularly. Pruning trees is vital to their well being in many ways and, in the case of fungal diseases, pruning helps to increase air flow through the branches thus minimizing the number of places which would be suitable for fungus to establish itself.

As well as pruning our fruit tree to avoid fungal infection and disease it is extremely important to continually monitor it for any signs of disease. One of the most important things to remember is that you must remove, isolate and destroy (by burning) any part of the tree that appears to have fungus. It is also strongly advised that you clear up any fallen fruit as soon as you see it and do not allow it to stay on the ground to rot, that's asking for trouble!

Cytospora canker is another disease that can appear on a fruit tree. Cytospora canker is another fungal disease but looks completely different to Brown Rot. Rather, it shows as soft dark patches, on branches, a callous forms and gum oozes from the bark of the tree. Commonly cytospora canker appears in old wounds which have not healed completely.

Just like the treatment for Brown Rot the answer to cytospora canker is, again, pruning. It is incredibly important that you prune a fruit tree correctly. If it is done incorrectly you are simply inviting trouble as the wound will take far longer to heal and will be more likely to become infected. If a fruit tree is badly infected by cytospora canker the only option is to prune it back hard and hope for the best. Making sure that such pruning allows for the free flow of air and light will help speed up the healing process and therefore reduce the risk of fungal infection.

The two fungal diseases mentioned above, Brown Rot and cytospora canker, are but two of a number of different diseases which can infect a fruit tree. Fungal infections can be very problematic and even professional landscape gardeners can find themselves in some difficulty when trying to combat such a disease. Of course providing the correct amounts of water, sunlight and nutrients can greatly help a tree to grow healthy and strong. However, if you want to ensure a good annual crop from fruit trees you should really invest some time into finding out more about tree care and disease.