Apple tree invaders

yorkiethornton · May 2023

Hi. An apple tree in a pot (large) has been infested in places by what looks like greenfly and other bugs. Foliage in places looks a bit sorry for itself. I’ve just treated with an insecticide and hope this is appropriate?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/5u/7gwsq56nyl1v.jpeg

steephill · May 2023

Is the insecticide you used safe for use on fruit trees for human consumption?

You have an aphid infestation which best dealt with by encouraging natural predators like ladybirds etc. Unfortunately insecticides will kill pests and predators alike and are rarely the best solution.

yorkiethornton · May 2023

steephill said:

Is the insecticide you used safe for use on fruit trees for human consumption?
You have an aphid infestation which best dealt with by encouraging natural predators like ladybirds etc. Unfortunately insecticides will kill pests and predators alike and are rarely the best solution.

Thanks. It is safe for humans. Unfortunately theres a lack of ladybirds here ☹️.

Dovefromabove · May 2023

The thing is there’ll continue to be a lack of ladybirds if you use insecticides … ladybirds are insects too so are hoverflies, lacewings and wasps … they all eat aphids😊

Keep your eye open for these
https://www.field-studies-council.org/shop/publications/ladybird-larvae-guide/

They’ll munch your aphids for you.

Dovefromabove · May 2023

Further to my post above … over a few years we’ve established a ‘balance’ in this garden and now aphids are dealt with by predators and they never accumulate tk numbers that do damage.

For the first couple of years we washed heavy aphid infestations off the plants with jets from the garden hose and sometimes brushed them off with a soft paintbrush or even with our fingers. Now the numbers of birds and insects in our garden have increased and they do the job for us.

Apple tree invaders

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