Topic: HELP PLEASE

[rosebud]

Hi folks, i am in need of help for my daughters apple tree.  Last year it had WOOLLY APHIDS,advice was given from a good garden centre, to wash it with a certain something or other in the spring and the autumn, which they did.
This year it never blossomed, and the woolly aphids are back,   HELP.
The tree is growing fine .  It is quite old it was there when they bought the house.
Has anyone any remedies?. Thanks  Rosebud.

[Merry Tiller]

No blossom? I'd use the old axe remedy ;D

[Marianne]

Hiya,

Found the following that may help with getting rid of the aphids.

Removal of suckers at the base of trees will create conditions that discourage development of woolly apple aphid populations in early-spring. Summer pruning of water sprouts also contributes to woolly apple aphid suppression.

Monitoring
Pruning cuts and water sprouts should be examined in late-spring and every few weeks throughout the summer for the presence of new colonies of woolly apple aphid. Specific action thresholds have not yet been developed.

Chemical Control
An insecticide can be applied if woolly apple aphid is detected at damaging levels on above-ground parts of trees. Insecticides are most effective if applied when the aphid is in the active crawler stage and is just moving up into the tree. This may occur in late-spring or not until mid-summer. Thorough coverage of the canopy is needed for insecticide to be effective. Because of the aphids' waxy covering, high volume application is needed to get thorough spray coverage. A second application may be needed two weeks after the first if aphids continue to be detected.

Insecticides used to control woolly apple aphid in commercial orchards are dimethoate (Cygon), endosulfan (Thiodan), chlorpyriphos (Lorsban), or methyl parathion (Penncap-M). Home gardeners can use diazinon or insecticidal soap.

Woolly apple aphid infestations on rootstocks cannot be controlled by insecticides.


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[Tulipa]

We have seven very old apple trees, part of an old orchard, and they always are covered in flowers, but this year they weren't nearly so good, so don't take the axe to it yet - please give it another spring in case it is just the weather!

We always have woolly aphid but it doesn't seem to do any harm, just looks unsightly.  I can't help you on how to get rid of it though, sorry.

I just love apple trees. MT I think you are a bit hasty - poor tree!

[tim]

Many trees are bi-ennial? Did it flower last year? How big is it/

Back to the old treatment of meths & a scrubbing brush?

[lancelotment]

Rosebud, the HDRA website has advice on apple tree pest and problems and may be able to offer some help.  Lance

[aquilegia]

grease bands to keep the ants off the tree. I need to get some for my little tree which has a lot of aphids on it, being farmed by ants. Also lots of ladybirds and ladybird larva eating it, though, so this year I'm just leaving them be.