Brown Spots on Apples

You may have noticed small areas just under the skin that are brown and corky. The spots may even appear after harvest. This is called bitter pit and is caused by a calcium deficiency early in the spring. Bitter pit can be treated by spraying the leaves with calcium nitrate at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water in the spring just after bloom and again one or two months later. Mark your calendar as a reminder.