Bacterial Blast - Canker

Garden Problems

Bacterial blast is also known as bacterial canker causes gummosis (weeping sap). It can seriously damage and kill fruit trees such as plum, apricot, cherry, peach and nectarine.

Identify the problem
Most obvious in spring, the symptoms of bacterial blast include dieback, oozing amber gum (gummosis) that has a sweet smell, browning blossoms and dark spots on leaves.
How to solve the problem
Prevention is the best way to control bacterial blast:
- Only prune trees during dry weather.
- Seal pruning wounds with pruning sealer.
- Prune to keep good airflow through trees.
- Disinfect pruning equipment with dilute bleach or meths between trees and pruning.
- Carry out a Winter Spray Program.
If your trees are showing symptoms of bacterial blast:
- Prune out all affected limbs at least 10 cm below obvious signs.
- Apply PLANThealth Copper Fungicide.