Plum saw fly

[nilly71]

This is the first time plums have developed on my Victoria.  ;D
About 30% were ripe, so I picked them. I noticed very small holes in just about all of them. When I cut them open, they were black/brown around the stone. :'( No catapillar was found.
I examined some of the unripe ones today and could not see any holes. From what I have read, the catapilar attackes the fruit when it is first developing.
Do you think the rest will be ok?
If I placed Rhubarb leaves on the branches, do you think it will deter them like it does with gooseberry sawfly?

Neil

[nilly71]

[goodlife]

Um....you need to put the leaves on ground around the tree where the fruit may fall... ;)..use the rhubarb leaves like a mulch...
Yes..most likely rest of fruit will be ok..
Victoria plum does normally ripen during September..so yours is very early..but as you said that all the early ones were affected with the pest..is quite likely that the damage coursed is the reasont that those were prematurely early.
I've noticed in my tree that all the 'faulty' fruit start changing colour earlier ;)

[nilly71]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Why put them on the ground, is it to kill of any lavae that is already on the ground or the ones that might be in the fruit or another reason?

Neil

[goodlife]

The larvae of plum saw fly will over winter in soil under the tree..so what ever fruit fall prematurely, make sure that you pick it up as those will have the larvae and it is the way the larvae will 'travel' for it's winter 'bed'
So the rhubarb will not only act as deterrant for the larvae but also as barrier..and maybe the oxalic acid from the rhubarb does 'tickle' the larvae's skin too ;)