It’s a series fungal disease (Neonectria ditissima) of apples and pears, especially on badly-drained soil, causing disfiguring wounds and sunken patches of dead bark on branches. See the photo below – now is a really good time to check for this before the trees leaf up making finding affected branches more difficult. For more information about apple canker see the RHS website

Would you be willing to share in the comments box below this article which of your apple varieties have had canker and which have not?

It would be great if you could answer the questions below:

• Do you prune in winter or summer (or both)?
• Where abouts are you in the UK (or world!)? – just the rough geographical area?
• What height above sea level are your trees?
• Do you clean your cutting tools before starting a new tree – and if yes how (e.g. methylated spirit)?
• What do you do with affected branches and or trees e.g. attempt to cut out, remove the branch, remove the tree, burn material etc.?

This information will help us to identify which trees are canker resistant, but also whether applying certain practices reduces the threat of canker to canker-prone trees.

If you’d rather not share publicly please email your apple canker experience to Gareth at secretary@marcherapple.net