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Aphids on young apple tree

MamaLionMamaLion Posts: 18
in Problem solving

I know this is a question that will have been asked a hundred times already!

I have a young dwarf apple tree that has a really severe aphid infestation and I'm torn about what to do about it.

I don't really want to use insecticides that will end up killing all sorts of things. I'm minded to go out today and get a load of marigolds, but is that likely to make a realistic difference?! I'm assuming that taking out the ant bodyguards won't make any real difference to the aphid numbers.

Will pruning the juicy new tips off the branches and getting rid of them aphids and all mean that new growth will appear and just be recolonised?

Do I just leave them to it and live with the curly new leaves, or is the little tree in danger of suffering long term consequences?

I squashed them and blasted them with the hose last week, and 2 days later when I checked the tree it was just as infested as before.

What would other people do in my position?

Thanks all. image

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Repeat what you've done with the hose and by hand Mamalion. The more birds you can encourage into your garden the better, as they'll help hoover them up - blue tits especially. Try hanging a little feeder in the branches and see if you can get some to move in there  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Check if there are any ants crawling on your tree.  If there are, they are the ones spreading the aphids around after you have removed them (ants 'farm' aphids for their honeydew excretion.)  A grease band around the trunk will stop the ants doing this.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Good point Bob. I always forget about the ants. Since they like dry conditions, they're not such a big problem up here ....can't imagine why.....image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • MamaLionMamaLion Posts: 18

    Thanks both. I've waged a squashing war again and dealt with the ants. 

    Going to treat it like weeding and just keep up the war of attrition!

    :-)

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    It will be worth it MamaLion.  Fruit trees do require a lot of looking after when they are young but once mature they are far less susceptible to these things. image

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