Allotments 4 All

Green/black fly have arrived on the leaves of my plum tree.  In the past i have put a thick film of vaseline close to the base to trap the ants which milk the fly.  I do this in the hope the fly will go elsewhere but my wife says if I do that it will make the bark soft and a fungal infection will get in the cracks. 

she says this with some conviction as it seems to have done it, according to her, a few years ago when I did the same thing.

Is she right and what can I use.  the trees are only a couple of years old.

Many thanks  :P

I've never heard of grease damaging tree bark.

Sticky bands, does the same thing, very effective. A pack will last quite a while with small trees.

Do they still sell the sticky bands as I have not seen them or years? Where do you get them from?

CPS12

We've  used vaseline on all our fruit trees, half way up the tree, not happened yet

What time of year do you apply the Vaseline please.