What do you put on peach and apple trees to keep bugs off?
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Answers:
There are few effective chemicals available to homeowners that will prevent insect damage on peaches and apples.
For many years I had severe problems with Codling Moth infestation.which results in worms eating the apples.
Last year I began to place Codling Moth traps.which are phermone (sex attractant) lures. The lure mimics the scent of the female moth and therefore attracts males to the sticky trap where they become stuck and die. This reduces the number of eggs leading to worms.
These traps can be found at some of the specialty garden shops and come in packages of two. The traps are very easy to set up and last for a couple of months before you have to replace them.
The alternative to spraying is to apply the Spinosad..this is a biological product made from a naturally occurring bacterium called Saccharopolyspora spinosa. It is sold as "Green Light Spinosad Lawn & Garden Spray" or "Monterey Garden Insect Spray". You'll need to apply it once every 10 days. It is very safe to humans/pets and will control worms, aphids and other insects (except mites) commonly found on apples and peaches.
Carbaryl (sold as Sevin). is effective against worms and aphids and usually lasts for about 12 days once it's sprayed. However, it is very toxic to bees and kills many natural predators (ladybugs, praying mantis)...which results in an outbreak of mites.
Apples and Peaches are always prone to aphid attacks.as well as mites. Spinosad and Carbaryl will kill aphids but for mite control, you may have to rely on using a horticultural oil or Safer's Soap.
Hope this answers your question and gives you some safe alternatives you can use. GOOD LUCK!
-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science
I don't know what type bugs you are referring to or how many trees you are talking about, but most co-ops (and some garden centers) sale concentrate insecticides for orchard crops. They are much easier applied to trees with a hose-end sprayer as they spread more volume and much higher than pump sprayer. The key is to choose an insecticide that specifically lists orchard crops.
Every winter you spray the tree bark --all over-- with 'dormant oil'. You get it at nurseries, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. It's with the liquid bug spray and fungicides. It smothers and kills all the bug larva and overwintering insects.
But now that its summer...all you can do is buy an insecticide spray. Malathion is a great insecticide unless you want to eat the fruit; in that case you need to use pyretherin spray. It's made from chrysanthemums and is supposedly harmless to humans.
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