How to Get Rid of Rust on Fruit Tree Leaves

Inspect your fruit trees for rust infestation. Signs include small yellow, rust or brown lesions on the undersides of leaves or on fruit. Look for galls (lumpish structures) in evergreen foliage near your apples. Galls produce hornlike structures that release rust spores in spring. Remove infested cedar trees or prune and dispose of galls in late winter for controlling rust infestations. Choose fungi-resistant species of apples and cedars when you are planting or replacing either type of tree. Fungi-resistant apple cultivars include Ashmead's Kernal, Baldwin, Belmac, Graves Golden, Jerseymac and Red Delicious.

Apply a commercial fungicide appropriate for killing apple-cedar rust and other rust fungi. Read all instructions before mixing and spraying fungicides. Use a sprayer intended for use on foliage and trees. Wear gloves, protective clothing, a mask and goggles if needed for avoiding contact with spray. Dilute the fungicide with water and mix as directed in your sprayer. Cover all surfaces of leaves on fruit trees. Apply fungicides at intervals of seven to 10 days, starting when your apple trees begin to show leaf buds or as directed by the manufacturer. Apply fungicide to nearby cedar evergreens when galls begin to develop tendrils. Repeat applications every seven to 10 days while the galls are producing spores.

Store fungicides and clean sprayers according to manufacturer instructions. Store fungicides and spraying equipment out of reach of children and pets. Wash your hands after handling fungicides, and shower and change clothes after spraying your fruit trees and cedars. Inspect your fruit trees for monitoring rust infestations. Dispose of outdated fungicides as directed on product labeling. Fungicides used on fruit trees are not generally harmful to humans or animals when applied as directed.