DIY Network

The Dirt On Fruit Tree Pests Aphids out of control in your orchard? The ants may be to blame! From "The Dirt On..." episode DTDO-106

Fruit tree expert Ed Laivo offers advice on dealing with insect pests in the garden.

Fruit tree expert Ed Laivo, from Dave Wilson Nursery, came by The Dirt On to answer some questions and give us some tips for protecting fruit trees from pests — borers and aphids in particular.

What's the best way to prevent pests from getting to our trees?

The best way to keep pests away is to keep your tree healthy. That means planting it in the right spot, giving it good drainage, fertilizing, mulching, and just all-around caring for your tree.

advertisement

Figure A

How can you protect your tree from aphids?

Ed Laivo: You can spot aphid damage on your tree by looking at the leaves. They curl in because the aphids suck the sap from them. There are two steps to preventing aphids and the first step has to do with stopping ants, because they play a major part in aphid damage as well.

Ants will actually farm aphids. They want the aphid population to be as large as possible so that they can feed off the honeydew that the aphids produce. Here is a quick and easy trap to set for the ants:

• Wrap some cellophane around the trunk of the tree. Make sure it's on tight enough so the ants won't be able to crawl underneath it.

• Tie the top and bottom of the cellophane with tree tape to secure it to the trunk (figure A).

• Smear "tanglefoot," an extremely sticky substance, all around the cellophane.

When the ants try to climb up your tree, they'll get caught in your trap. Dust and debris will collect on this as well, so you'll have to cut it off and replace your trap every once in a while. That's why the cellophane works better than applying Tanglefoot directly to the trunk.

	Figure B
	Figure C

Once you take care of the ants, how do you get rid of the aphids that are already on your tree?

Ed Laivo: First, attach a jet nozzle to your hose and blast them away. Spray the leaves and the branches because scale, another fruit tree pest, can be found on the branches. Once you've thoroughly blasted it, apply a light horticultural oil, also known as "summer oil." Remove the jet nozzle, attach a hose end sprayer filled with the oil and coat the tree. This will smother the aphids that are on the tree and it will prevent new aphids from flying in and making your tree their new home.

Which other types of pests should we watch out for?

Ed Laivo: Bores, or boring insects, are another common pest for fruit trees. They actually bore into the trunk of the tree. You can tell they are in there if you see small holes in your trunk or a sawdust material at the base of the tree. To protect your tree from these insects, give it a paint job. Mix an interior latex paint with water, diluting it by 50 percent. You can use any light color you choose (figure B).

Paint the trunk up to the crotch of the tree, where the branches split off (figures C and D). This will provide a little barrier for the insects and it will also prevent sunscald, which is damage caused by the heat and light of the sun. This is important because sunscald can weaken your tree and in turn, invite more insects in.

GUESTS :

Ed Laivo, fruit tree expert
Dave Wilson Nursery
www.davewilson.com