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If growth is normal , however , apply a low-phosphorous fertilizer , such as a lawn fertilizer containing no herbicide , at the rate of 1 ounce of actual nitrogen per year of tree age , not to exceed 16 ounces . Standard trees can yield up to 10 bushels of fruit per tree . The hardware cloth cage will not protect the tree against winter injury , so if you plan to use this method , first paint the trunk of the tree with white latex paint . Prevention is the best line of defense against root rot . Unfortunately , insecticidal soap is generally not very effective against mobile insects such as fourlined plant bugs . The branches of non-bearing young apple trees will normally grow 12 to 18 inches per year ( 15 to 20 inches for pears ) , while the branches of bearing apple trees will grow 8 to 12 ( 8 to 15 for pears ) inches in a season . Symptoms of flower or bud blast begin as irregular gray / brown spots on the petals , whereas buds turn brown and / or have a water - soaked appearance . The reward , however , is high-quality tree-ripened fruit unlike almost anything one can buy at the grocery store . Unlike most plant pathogenic nematodes , foliar nematodes live in and feed upon the aerial portion of the plant . The fungus , unlike many other rust fungi , completes its entire life cycle on one host . The same insects that are pests of apple — codling moth , plum curculio and apple maggot among them — may harm developing pear fruits as well . Infected roots become brown and mushy due to extensive tissue decay , whereas healthy roots are cream to white colored and firm . Aim for one fruit per cluster , or for truly optimal fruit quality , about eight inches between fruits on any branch . Geranium rust , unlike many rust fungi , completes its entire life cycle on geraniums . Among Minnesota apple varieties , only ‘ Northwestern Greening ’ is truly green at harvest . Fungicides are of limited effectiveness against this disease , but basic copper sulfate or Mancozeb can be applied early in the season when shoots are about six inches tall to help protect the plant . Susceptibility varies among daylily cultivars , but none are known to be resistant .