Apple scab and rust are two of the most common fungal diseases affecting crabapple and apple trees throughout Madison and Dane County.
Both diseases damage leaves, reduce canopy density, and weaken trees over time if left untreated. In many cases, homeowners first notice the problem when their crabapple trees begin dropping leaves early in the summer or developing bright orange spots.
The good news is that these fungal diseases can be effectively controlled with properly timed preventative treatments.
At Keyman Lawn, Tree & Pest, we provide a professional 3-application protection program designed to prevent apple scab and rust infections before they damage your trees.
Fungal infections often begin in spring but may not become obvious until later in the growing season.
Common symptoms include:
Rust infections often appear as bright orange spots, while apple scab typically produces darker leaf lesions. Repeated infections can weaken trees and make them more susceptible to other pests and environmental stress.
Once leaves become infected, the damage cannot be reversed during that growing season.
That’s why preventative treatment is critical.
Early protection helps:
Madison’s cool, wet spring conditions often create ideal environments for fungal diseases like apple scab and rust to spread quickly.
Our technicians understand how local weather conditions in Southern Wisconsin influence fungal disease pressure.
We monitor seasonal timing carefully and apply preventative treatments when trees are most vulnerable to infection.
Our goal is to protect both the health and appearance of your trees through proactive care and professional monitoring.
These diseases rarely kill trees directly, but repeated infections weaken them and reduce overall tree health.
Treatments typically begin at bud break in early spring.
Many susceptible varieties benefit from annual preventative treatments.
No. Once infected, leaves cannot heal. Treatments protect new growth from infection.
