Cherry leaf spot leaves no ‘fuel’

Think of cherry leaves as the engine that converts gas to energy in your car.

Now if you can imagine the stress put on fruit trees that lose their leaves, you’ve got a picture of what’s occurring in many orchards across Leelanau County.

Two diseases that cause leaves to drop prematurely on cherry trees are having banner years due mainly to a wet spring, according to cherry grower and retired county extension director Jim Nugent. The disease combination is causing headaches for county growers.