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How to avoid bugs entering my apples and pears while developing on the tree

jyotijshahjyotijshah Posts: 47
in Problem solving
Hi All, I understand that I should put a ring of sticky substanse around the trunk near the base of these trees, but does not see to work :( Need guidance , how and what to do better and which product to use please to avoid bugs next year

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Before considering using products which may contain pesticides, it's worth knowing that many of these type of pests overwinter in the leaf litter beneath the trees, so if you clear and dispose of all the fallen leaves and any rotting fruit from the ground beneath these trees after they have gone dormant, the pest population will be much reduced the following spring.  If you can also mulch the area with a couple of inches of something like well-rotted manure, the effect will be increased and the trees will also get a good feed - healthier trees have better general pest and disease resistance.
    If you are still losing most fruit, then you could try a 'winter tree wash' which will reduce the numbers of those types which overwinter in cracks in the bark.  There are also Codling moth pheromone traps, which catch the males and may reduce the numbers but those traps are primarily used to indicate when to spray with some sort of pesticide rather than being a defence as such.  RHS advice here:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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