Question: My apple tree has died suddenly. What would cause it to go from a healthy, pretty tree one week to totally dead the next?

Answer: That’s usually cotton root rot. This soil-borne fungus seems to love apples and pears. It’s a potential problem anywhere that soils are alkaline. Some growers have actually used massive amounts of agricultural sulfur as they planted their apples to try to prevent the development of the disease. It may help, but it isn’t a guarantee.