[rookie1]

Hi everyone.. can you help? Earlier this spring we planted a new hawthorn tree and last night I was weeding around it and have found a lot of leaves with yellow and brown spots on them, which look very nasty. Looking at the tree itself, a few leaves have gone brown and a few more have small brown spots on. Two pix attached. Any ideas what it is, should we be worried and what can we do about it. Tx much.

[Aunt Sally]

Probably a fungal disease.  I can't see if it's rust from the picture.  Spray with a fungicide.

[rookie1]

Thanks Aunt Sal - I  think I reduced the pic size a bit too much, so will try that again (attached).

I was wondering if it's powdery mildew? There is some obvious white "stuff" on the tree leaf, which I didn't see on the weeds below on the ground, so wonder if it's related to the very hot weather we've had followed by a lot of rain .... I have noticed some rust elsewhere in the garden - is that connected to downy mildew?

I will definitely get some fungicide. Generally try not to resort to chemicals, but don't want to lose the new tree.  Is there a particular product to get in your experience?

[rookie1]

another try to get the picture a decent size ....

[Aunt Sally]

Definitely a fungus, not sure which one though. 

If you don't treat it it could be fatal to the tree as it's young and under stress from just being planted. 

[rookie1]

OK - will hot-foot it to the garden centre later. Tx again.

[Goosegirl]

The hawthorn is a very resiliant plant as I know from my three big hedges where they get subjected to salt-laden winds from all directions. Once established, they can withstand anything. If it makes you feel better as to how hardy they are, farmers around here (and probably elsewhere) plant 1 ft bare-rooted plants by sticking their spade in the ground (with no previous preparation) then wiggle their spade to make a small trench, drop the plant in, and tread on the surrounding soil. A good soaking with a hose, then off to milking! Don't worry too much - could just be wind-burn to a new plant, but a good fungicidal spray won't harm it; just give the plant a good soaking if the weather turns dry.

[rookie1]

oh thanks Goosegirl - you have allayed my fears. Will definitely give the spray a go just to be on the safe side. I've noticed quite a few plants with rust on in other areas of the garden too, so I'm hoping I haven't got a major outbreak of nastiness on my hands. Am very new to this gardening lark and have never encountered pests and diseases before!!

[Goosegirl]

oh thanks Goosegirl - you have allayed my fears. Will definitely give the spray a go just to be on the safe side. I've noticed quite a few plants with rust on in other areas of the garden too, so I'm hoping I haven't got a major outbreak of nastiness on my hands. Am very new to this gardening lark and have never encountered pests and diseases before!!

Rust as in brown bits on edges of leaves or raised brown pustules especially on the underside of leaves? Both have different causes. Brown pustules, especially on roses, is rust - best to nip in the bud (no pun intended) before it gets worse. Looking again at your post about seeing yellow and brown leaf spots, the recent humid conditions encourage all sorts of fungal diseases, so spray as you said to give the tree a good start and water well, plus possibly a liquid feed every two weeks of something like Maxicrop with seaweed elements in it that can be applied as a root drench or a foliar feed as per instructions. By the way, they don't call hawthorn "Quickthorn" for nothing - be prepared to prune - be very prepared!!

[BobE]

[BobE]

[mumofstig]

another try to get the picture a decent size ....

The pictures were ok, we only needed to click on them to see them bigger 

[Goosegirl]

Good pix. Looking at them, another thought - could also be sunshine damage on wet leaves where the droplets act as a mirror and dries the leaf area out. Spray in cloudy weather to make sure.