Thanks Victoria, really useful tips. I was wondering if you could advise me? My apple tree had awful woolly aphids last year. I've pruned it to remove the damaged bits. Is there anything else I can do to avoid an infestation but without using pesticides?
Hi Liz, Blast the woolly aphids with a hose for an immediate solution. Encourage natural predators like ladybirds and hoverflies by planting dandelions, calendula, and marigolds. Promote tree health by mulching around the base of tree with wood chip to promote a fungal dominant environment and fertilise with comfrey by planting some around the base and ‘chopping and dropping’ three times a year. I hope this helps!
Thanks, hat was very helpful, especially the 25% rule. I guess what happens with the stress response is what you get with pollarding and coppicing, a whole bunch of fresh twigs. I have a couple of very overgrown "dwarf" (maybe dwarf in the land of Gullivere) apple trees which I wanted to cut back to a manageable size and that actually bear fruit.
Really great advice and tips, love the difference between the apple, pear and cherry and now know what to look out for. Do you ever do any work on the spurs or do you just leave them. Thanks.
Thanks Victoria, really useful tips. I was wondering if you could advise me? My apple tree had awful woolly aphids last year. I've pruned it to remove the damaged bits. Is there anything else I can do to avoid an infestation but without using pesticides?
Hi Liz,
Blast the woolly aphids with a hose for an immediate solution.
Encourage natural predators like ladybirds and hoverflies by planting dandelions, calendula, and marigolds.
Promote tree health by mulching around the base of tree with wood chip to promote a fungal dominant environment and fertilise with comfrey by planting some around the base and ‘chopping and dropping’ three times a year.
I hope this helps!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks, hat was very helpful, especially the 25% rule. I guess what happens with the stress response is what you get with pollarding and coppicing, a whole bunch of fresh twigs. I have a couple of very overgrown "dwarf" (maybe dwarf in the land of Gullivere) apple trees which I wanted to cut back to a manageable size and that actually bear fruit.
Really great advice and tips, love the difference between the apple, pear and cherry and now know what to look out for. Do you ever do any work on the spurs or do you just leave them. Thanks.
When using a pruning- saw,always wear gloves.Saw- work was excellent.Plenty of fire-wood created.
Great tip!