Brown rot
Disease A fungus that rots apples, pears, plums and cherries on the tree and in store.
What to look for
Soft brown patches spread across the fruit, with rings of cream-coloured pustules. Infected fruit often shrivels and hangs on the tree over winter.
When: July to October, and on stored fruit.
How to prevent it
- Handle fruit carefully, as wounds from birds, wasps and bruising let the fungus in.
- Thin fruit so it does not touch.
- Remove infected and mummified fruit from the tree and ground.
How to deal with it
- Pick off and bin rotten fruit promptly.
- Prune out infected spurs and any shoots with blossom wilt.
- Store only sound, unblemished fruit.
Crops it affects
If you choose to use any treatment, use only products approved for UK home gardens, follow the label and avoid spraying open flowers. See all pests and diseases.