I used dormant oil on all my fruit trees this winter. I sprayed orchard spray on leaves when I saw the rust, allitle too late for 2 trees the buds barely came out and then died. is there any great way to prevent this? The rest of the trees seem to be recovering but I want this to be gone so the trees will look healthy.
I assume you're referring to apple trees. The rust that apple trees get is called "apple-cedar rust". You need both apples and cedars in proximity for the rust disease to survive (It over winters in cedars and completes the life cycle, emerging as spores again in the spring). You'll notice that most apple orchard owners eradicate all the cedars nearby.
I was wondering about your screen name. I don't think you had your bio filled in when you originally posted. I was suspecting Brimfield MA.
It's been awhile since I used to be an arborist, almost feels like a past life. I have most of my reference manuals for insects and diseases, so I'll try to look it up over the weekend. I went to college at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture there in Amherst, before I moved to TX 15 years ago. They might be a good resource for you. They used to have a fruit and vegetable degree. I think most of the old degrees like animal science, fruit and vegetable, floriculture have all been replaced with more modern appealing degrees like equine studies etc. They still have a great turf management, landscape construction and arboriculture degree.
the Cedar trees can be a mile away & still afect your Apples - sorry for the news butt.... Well a mile away here in north Texas I am not sure if that makes a differance. The farther way the less likly it will be to get it.