You finally waited: a young plum planted four years ago, dressed in spring in a white veil of snow-white flowers. The small fruits that appeared after flowering promised a rich harvest. But ... You didn’t wait for the drain, and the tree itself almost died. Why? The reason was the attacking aphid tree. Let's understand in detail how to get rid of harmful insects, and what measures to take in order to prevent the attack of pests.
In general, with proper care, the plum gives the first crop some 4 years after planting. Over the next 10 years, the fruit tree will delight you with annual crops, of course, if you provide the tree with appropriate care.
Aphids on a plum tree, signs of tree damage
Insects that infect fruit trees are pale green, covered with fluff. When aphids are affected, the leaves of the tree begin to twist and dry, shoots are damaged, the tree begins to noticeably lag behind in growth.
Families of aphids settle on the underside of leaves, which gradually become colorless, the edges begin to curl. Isolation of aphids contributes to the development of saprophytic fungi, which further affects the growth of the tree. And the small fruits that appear as a result begin to rot and fall.
How to get rid of pests and how to process plum from aphids
Aphid lays eggs on a plum near the buds, in the bark of branches. The larvae tolerate the winter well and begin to wake up at the moment the first buds appear. During this period, the fruit tree should be treated for the first time in order to prevent the further development of aphid larvae. Aphid on a sink gives a new generation every 14 days, so try to carefully monitor the complete destruction of pests.
In specialized stores you can buy such special products as Iskra, Fufanon, Alatar. These drugs are insecticides and help well against the invasion of harmful insects. When carrying out work, try to spray the lower side of the leaves with the emulsion, where the pests are located directly.
If you do not want to use chemicals, then you can use a herbal remedy for aphids on a plum. Experienced gardeners advise using plants such as chamomile, garlic, green potato tops. From these plants make tincture and spray directly onto diseased leaves.
Plum aphids also cannot tolerate tobacco dust mixed with ash or slaked lime. You can use onion peel (200 gr. Pour a bucket of warm water, insist about 5 days).
It is possible to reduce the reproduction of aphids using foliar top dressing. Potassium sulfate or superphosphate is used for them (approximately 3 tablespoons are dissolved in 10 liters of water).
Plum can produce up to 40 kg of berries from a tree. Feed the tree annually in spring and autumn, trim the crown correctly, loosen the soil, be sure to lime the soil (the tree does not tolerate high acidity). In general, look after and enjoy a plentiful harvest of plums every summer.