The appearance of pests on the surface or inside the plum tree significantly reduces the crop yield and dangerous for its further development, because insects can infect all parts of the plant - from shoots to fruits. There are several effective methods to be aware of when dealing with harmful insects.
I recommend reading:June and July protective spraying of tomatoes to increase yields
Chemical and biological agents
There are several known most dangerous insect pests of the plum tree:
- Sawfly. The danger is not the insects themselves, but their larvae, which the adult lays during flowering in an unopened flower. The larva damages the ovary and the fruit, after which it disappears, and there is a risk of significant loss of yield.
For protection, pesticides are used, for example "Fufanon-Nova" or "Alatar".
- Plum moth. A very dangerous insect for plums, leading to the loss of the entire crop. The damage is caused by the caterpillar, which penetrates through a small hole into the fruit, eats up the pulp and gradually pollutes the fruit with its waste. Pest infestation can be determined by the presence on the surface of the fruit of small holes, a thin layer of cobweb or small droplets that look like resin - this is how the caterpillar closes its entrance into the fruit.
In the fight against the moth, non-toxic drugs such as "Bitoxibacillin" or "Lepidocide" will be effective. Treatment is carried out by spraying three times: at the beginning of summer and a couple more times with an interval of a week. A natural remedy is also used in the form of a decoction of wormwood (1 kg of grass per 5 liters of water). The composition is infused and sprayed several times at the time of the appearance of plant ovaries to protect against larvae from entering the surface of the fruit.
- Aphid. The pest quickly and massively spreads over the entire surface of the plum, affects the stems of the tree, due to then the strength of the plant is depleted, the ability to bear fruit is lost, the death of the plant often occurs.
To destroy the pest, you can use weak chemical compositions, for example, "Iskra Bio" or "Fitoverm", or use a decoction of leaves for spraying tobacco (0.5 kg per 1 liter of water is boiled for 30 minutes, diluted with 5 liters of water, infused for a week and, having filtered, used when diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2).
- Gall and fruit mites. Insects are especially dangerous because they are very small in size and are not always easy to spot in time. Massive accumulations of mites attack the surface of leaves and stems and cause them to dry out. The plant does not develop well, growth slows down, which leads to loss of yield.
For destruction it is better not to use aggressive drugs, you can use "Akarin", "Iskra Bio" or "Fitoverm".
An infusion of garlic will be effective, for which the bulb, along with the stems, is insisted for a day, pouring 5 liters of hot water.
For preliminary spring treatment, before the start of active sap flow, plum trees can be treated with 30 Plus.
Additional control measures
Other measures to protect against pests will be effective in addition to special preparations:
- Regular, at the end of the season, digging the soil under the tree to destroy the larvae that cannot stand the cold.
- Do not leave in the garden for the winter and carefully dispose of fallen fruits spoiled by pests.
- Inspect periodically and scrape insects off in containers or on cloth.
- It is also helpful to hang cans of insect-attracting liquid baits on a tree; acidified fruit drinks are best.
- Insects cannot tolerate the smoke of some plants, so carry out regular fumigation from smoldering wormwood, potatoes, or tomatoes.
- Often, to protect against some insects, others are used, which, feeding on pests, thereby reduce their number. To attract beneficial insects, it is necessary to plant plants of interest to them, such as clover or buckwheat, which may allow avoiding the use of chemical agents in the future.
Do you know how to deal with plum pests?
Original articleand many other materials, you can find on ourwebsite.
Read also: Extraordinary beauty: 8 of the best two-tone rose varieties