If you have aphids on an apple tree: how to fight so as not to lose the crop. Aphids - a pest of the garden, control measures and prevention

Probably, it is difficult to imagine anything more annoying and indestructible than aphids on an apple tree. Every summer hundreds of trees are attacked by these small insects, which in a matter of weeks destroy all the green part and, being full, begin to multiply. However, not only aphids are dangerous, other insects, for example, ants, crawl onto the honeydew emitted by them. In this article, we will look at what types of aphids infect apple trees and how to deal with them in order to get rid of them once and for all.

Aphid species

Before moving on to the types of aphids that spoil apple orchards, you should dwell on what aphids are in nature. This is a miniature insect, the body of which rarely exceeds 7 mm. Depending on the species and the plants preferred for consumption, the color of the aphid also varies: light green, dark green, black, gray, orange, light pink.

Aphids belong to the family of phytophages, insects with a proboscis for disrupting the upper covers of plants. One of the key features of this insect species is that in the process of life, they leave padd on the occupied leaves and stems, a substance with a high sugar content, which ants, wasps, bees and flies are not averse to feasting on. Aphids on an apple tree, it is red-headed or gray, comes from the aphid family. Eggs overwinter on the bark of fruit tree branches; in the spring, females emerge from the eggs, which establish a colony on the selected tree. Their body is about 2 mm long, green with a red head and white antennae, the tubes on the back and the tail are black.

Females produce up to 40 larvae at a time from which females grow without wings that stick around the lower part of the leaves. In June, a generation of females with wings appears, their color changes - the body is black, and the abdomen is green. It is they who become the parents for the winged and wingless males and females. The peak of development and reproduction of aphids occurs in September.

Signs of aphids

It is quite easy to detect the presence of aphids on an apple tree - the leaves curl down, turn black and dry out. Gradually, red swellings will appear on the leaves, which precede curling. The leaves are covered with a sticky liquid - a pad, onto which ants crawl. In the early stages, the defeat of the tree by aphids is rather difficult to track, since they begin the invasion from the upper young shoots of the tree.

However, over time, there are few fresh leaves for the insect and they go down, leaving behind emaciated and dying shoots and leaves. On the lower parts of the tree, it is easier to detect the presence of aphids - you just need to turn over any leaf and you will find dozens of larvae. Ants are also one of the symptoms by which you can tell if a plant is infected. Also, pests live on the underside of leaves and in buds. Flip the leaf over or open the rolled leaf and see insects. In addition to what the pests suck nutrients from a plant, they are carriers of viral diseases. You should immediately begin to fight against insects, using folk remedies or special preparations.

Aphid control methods

So, what are the ways you can fight the hordes of aphids? Use herbal infusions, chemicals, food additives that should be sprayed on the affected tree. It is best to chemically treat the apple tree in the spring, when the buds have not yet blossomed.

This will reduce the likelihood of leaving chemical burns on the leaves, but cause significant damage to the aphid larvae.

200 g of the drug "Nitrofen" is diluted in 10 liters of water, which is used to treat the tree before the buds bloom. It is highly regarded for killing aphid eggs. - You can treat the tree with a 4% solution of the drug "Oleocobrite", which also destroys insect eggs.

The Iskra preparation helps to get rid of insect eggs and young larvae throughout the entire growing season of the apple tree. To prepare a solution in 10 liters of water, dissolve 1 tablet of the drug. Spraying can be done every 3 weeks. Fighting aphids requires re-treating the trees, but so as not to burn the leaves. Therefore, it is recommended to use "safe" drugs: "Iskra", "Decis", "Cypermethrin". Also, subsequent treatments can be carried out with plant infusions, since they do the least harm to the tree, but at the same time they are quite effective against insects.

Take 500 g of tobacco, 40 g of soap, 20 liters of water. Soak tobacco in 10 liters of water for 3 days, then strain the infusion, dilute with the remaining water, add soap. You can do the treatment with such a solution every one and a half weeks.

Alternatively, mix 3 cups wood ash, 40 g of soap, 10 liters of water. After mixing all the ingredients, the solution is insisted for a day. Spray the lower part of the leaves. Thus, you can not only fight pests, but also carry out foliar feeding wood. Ants, as a side symptom of the life of aphids, also require extermination.

You can use the chemicals "Fitoverm", "VDG", "Fufaon". Also, ants do not tolerate a variety of traps that do not harm plants, humans and animals, but at the same time are extremely effective against lovers of free sugar.

The best tools in the line of traps were recognized as "Raptor" and "Kombat". Ants do not like kerosene, so you need to take advantage of this. To prepare a solution in 10 liters of water, mix 400 g of soap, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of carbolic acid and 10 tbsp. spoons of kerosene. The solution should be used to treat the leaves and trunks of apple trees.

Who today does not dream of having a large, beautiful and well-groomed garden? But seeing how beautiful tree begins to dry up, wither and lose fruit, these dreams seem unattainable. But even from such a critical situation there is a way out and preventive measures.

Signs of aphids on an apple tree

This microscopically small animal up to 4 mm in size can destroy crops and an entire plantation of trees in just a month. Aphids reproduce by eggs, the supplies of which are prepared from the very autumn on the bark of a tree. As soon as spring comes, young juicy leaves begin to gain sweet juice, and now our aphid, which has successfully overwintered, is right there! Aphids lead spider mite, which envelops the apple tree with cobwebs and many eggs on the leaves, thereby leading to the complete death of the plant. But the most best friend aphids are ants. They feed on her secrets, which are called honeydew. All summer long, workers carry aphids in their jaws on a tree, and in winter they warm them up for the winter in an anthill until spring. Signs of aphids on an apple tree:

  • There is an anthill near the roots of the apple tree.
  • The leaves of the tree curl, begin to dry, turn yellow and fall off prematurely.
  • Turning the sheet over, you will see aphid eggs.
  • The appearance of cloister on the leaves, due to the large formation of honeydew.

Destruction of aphids on an apple tree by folk methods

A self-prepared solution is reliable, non-toxic to humans, easy to prepare and use:

  • Soap-garlic solution: in a 10 liter bucket, grate a piece of laundry soap on a coarse grater, add 3 chopped garlic heads. Fill with water, stir until foamy. Insist 1-2 days, it is better to spray with a broom to reach the highest branches.
  • Infusion of celandine: grind dry leaves and stems of celandine, add a grated bar of laundry soap to them, pour 10 liters of water. Insist 2 days in a warm place. Strain before use.
  • Ash and Soap: Place 3 cups of wood ash in a large bucket, rub a bar of soap and cover with water. Defend for 2 days. Dilute 1: 1 before use.
  • Tomato solution: grind the tomato leaves to a semi-liquid mass, add 1 liter of boiling water and 5 tablespoons sunflower oil... Let stand for a day, then grease the affected leaves on the back.
  • If there are few bitten leaves, then collect them and burn them, treating the rest with a solution of laundry soap.
  • Aphids do not tolerate strong odors, plant near the apple tree plants that she will be afraid of - onions, nettles, tansy, calendula, garlic, lavender, Dolmat chamomile.

Destruction of aphids on an apple tree with insecticides

Chemicals can be used to process an apple tree before flowering and 5 weeks before harvesting, before this time has expired, it is not allowed to use the fruits.

  • Perform processing in special clothing so as not to get poisoning, skin rashes and burns.
  • Strong poisons are used in the most tragic situation, when the tree is on the verge of death, in other cases it is recommended to use folk methods.
  • Pests develop a strong immunity to chemicals, so using one drug is ineffective, they need to be changed in turn.
  • The strongest chemicals recommended by gardeners are Kinmix, Iskra, Bordeaux liquid, Tanrek, Intavir.

Preventive measures in the fall from aphids on an apple tree

Prepare the apple tree for winter thoroughly by protecting it from ants and aphids. Remove all overgrowth near the tree, aphids love young shoots and will gladly settle on them. Pour boiling water over all the nests in the area, digging deeper. Paint the central branches with lime, treat with a chemical at a temperature of at least +6 degrees.

How to deal with aphids on an apple tree, there are many ways. Gardeners use folk remedies, biological products, chemical insecticides. Each of these methods of struggle has advantages, disadvantages, before choosing the best one, it is necessary to study the information about all.

Who do you have to deal with

Aphids are the most common pest in vegetable gardens and orchards. Apple aphid is a small bug with a body length of no more than 7 mm. The color varies, since several species of similar insects of the same species live on the tree at once.

On a note!

Aphids on an apple tree are short life cycle, but manages to give a huge offspring. The female lays up to 40 eggs at a time. From May to June, only females are born. Individuals do not need fertilization to reproduce offspring.

Closer to September, a generation of winged aphids appears. After the mating season, young females scatter around different trees... Eggs are laid on apple trees under the bark closer to the kidneys. In early spring, larvae appear from them, which immediately begin to pest.

Signs of aphids

The insect sucks the juice from the leaves, damages young shoots, leaves behind a sticky sweet substance that attracts ants, flies, wasps, and other insects. After the life of aphids, the leaves turn yellow, curl, die off. The tree becomes vulnerable to diseases, the yield is significantly reduced.

On apple tree seedlings, twigs dry up, stop development, growth. In this state, young shoots are not able to survive. On the leaves of the apple tree appear dark spots, plaque, mold.

When to fight

It is necessary to constantly monitor the state of the apple tree. Some species of apple aphid are capable of migrating. Ants also help them move around the garden. It is necessary to start emergency action immediately after the detection of pests, but it is better to do this in advance.

You can still destroy aphids in early spring when the leaves are just beginning to bloom. However, processing in the spring is carried out only with folk remedies. The poison from aphids lasts almost 20 days; its presence on the tree is dangerous for insects, which should pollinate the flowers.

Actively fight against aphids in June. At this time, adults will appear on their winter eggs, and the fruits will have time to set. You can process after flowering with any suitable means- folk, biological product,.

Sprinkle apple trees chemicals not recommended 20 days before harvest. The break between treatments should be about a month. Otherwise, toxins enter the human body along with apples.

The fight against aphids on an apple tree during the period of active ripening of fruits is carried out with biological products, folk remedies.

Biological methods

In nature, everything is interconnected, each insect is a link in a single nutritional chain. Aphids are hunted by many bugs that do not harm garden crops, ladybugs... To attract these insects to the garden, it is enough to plant dill near the apple tree.

You can get rid of aphids on an apple tree. In early spring, when the snow just melts in the garden, a dense layer of ash is poured under the tree, and the earth is dug up. Watered on top hot water... Ash penetrates into the juice of the apple tree, it becomes bitter, which repels aphids.

It is possible to remove aphids and their eggs in the fall. They examine trees, break off damaged branches. The same is done for the entire growing season of the apple tree. Leaves and shoots affected by larvae and eggs are cut off and burned.

Interesting!

In the garden, flower beds are made of calendula, peppermint. Parsley is planted. The smells of these plants scare away aphids, help save the apple tree.

Biologicals

If the question arises of how to treat an apple tree from aphids, you should pay attention to a safe drug. The active components of the product are the waste products of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. A striking representative of this category of funds is.

Chemicals

An effective remedy for aphids on an apple tree is a new generation insecticide. Helps to destroy aphids in a few days, most of the pests die already during treatment.

Each gardener chooses the methods of struggle for himself individually. The smartest solution is to combine.

Folk remedies

If aphids attack the garden, do not immediately run to the store for an insecticide. They are able to cope with pests, which are prepared independently according to folk recipes. They can process apple trees during flowering, ripening of fruits, in any growing season.

Ammonia

Aphids are especially dangerous on a young apple tree. Action must be taken immediately. In this case, ammonia will help out. from aphids - one of the most common remedies.

On a note!

The drug is more suitable for low young apple trees, since it is recommended to process from a watering can. This is due to the fact that in small sprays, ammonia breaks down quickly, not reaching the leaves.

To prepare the solution, you need 10 liters cold water dilute 50 ml ammonia, add 40 g of any soap solution.

Tobacco

An apple tree can be used in any period of the plant's growing season. Strong smell scares away aphids, pests disappear the next day. It is necessary to dilute 200 g of tobacco powder in 10 liters of water, boil for 2 hours over low heat. Introduce a soap base before use. It is necessary to process the apple tree twice with a break of 5 days.

On a note!

To prevent aphids from attacking the garden, tobacco should be planted between the apple trees. An unpretentious culture grows in any soil, does not require special care.

Soap

Laundry soap from aphids is used in bars, liquid form. In the first case, the product should be pre-grated on a coarse grater. Initially diluted in 1 L warm water... Then add required amount cool liquid.

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In order for the apple tree to bear many fruits all year round, she needs to be constantly looked after. One of the most important care measures is pest control. Today in this article we will talk about such a pest as aphids and tell you how you can fight it with folk remedies.

But first, let's figure out who the aphid is. Aphid Is a small yellowish-green insect. Despite his very small size(up to 3 millimeters in length), it causes very great damage not only to apple trees, but also to other plants in the garden.

Aphids destroy plant leaves and young shoots. Because of it, you can completely lose the crop. Aphids lay eggs in autumn. In the spring, young offspring appear from the eggs. In 1 season, aphids are able to lay eggs 17 times!

Aphids can completely destroy mature tree... Therefore, it is so important to deal with this pest in your garden in a timely manner.

Today, there are a huge number of means to combat aphids. Many people ask: How can you treat apple trees from aphids?

The most important thing in this business is not to waste time. If you find aphids, then the first spraying is best done at a time when the leaves are just beginning to break out of the buds. The next treatment is carried out one month after the first, as a rule, this period occurs in June.

Aphids are very afraid of the ladybug. If you have a lot of these insects in your garden, then there is no need to fear aphids.

The most effective methods against aphids are chemical agents. They destroy the pest very quickly. Below is a list of the most effective drugs from aphids. But first, let's talk about the fight against aphids with folk remedies.

Folk remedies.

Folk remedies show themselves quite effectively. Of course they give way chemicals, however, folk remedies are absolutely harmless.

Aphid remedy number 1... Onions and their husks help well. To prepare the product, you need to take 200 grams of onion peels and various onion peels. All this is filled with 10 liters hot water and infused for 4-5 days. With this tool, the apple tree is sprayed 3 times with an interval of 5 days.

Folk remedy for aphids No. 2... One bucket of water is taken, in which they dissolve: 200 grams of soap, one glass of tobacco broth, half a glass of wood ash and a quarter of a glass of kerosene. Spraying is done 1 time. This remedy very well helps to get rid of aphids on an apple tree in case of massive damage to trees.

Folk remedy for aphids No. 3... Another tobacco-based folk remedy. Take 250 grams of tobacco and infuse in 6 liters of water for 2-3 days. Then the resulting infusion is filtered, and another 6 liters of water are added to it. After that, half a piece of laundry soap is added. The whole remedy can be used in the fight against aphids.

Folk remedy for aphids No. 4... For cooking effective remedy for pest control, stir 2 cups of ash in one bucket of water. Then add half a piece of laundry soap and mix thoroughly. Let the solution brew for 1 day. That's it, the product is ready to use.

How to treat an apple tree from aphids? Special means.

Many gardeners ask - How to treat an apple tree from aphids? There is a huge selection in stores today special means to combat this pest. Consider a list of the most effective and proven ones.

  1. Nitrofen is a very powerful insect pest control agent. You can use this tool only in early spring, even before the foliage appears. Otherwise, you can simply burn it. To prepare the solution, dilute 200 grams of the product in 10 liters of water. Everything, you can start spraying.
  2. Insecticide Kinmix is ​​a universal preparation that is designed to destroy all insects that suck juice from plants. This drug should be used during apple blossom. Detailed instructions the application can be found on the packaging.
  3. Karate. This tool has proven itself very well among gardeners. In addition to its effectiveness, the drug has another advantage - economy. 10 liters of solution is enough for 1 hundred square meters of trees.

Aphids on an apple tree are no longer a problem for you. You know how to deal with it and by what means.

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How to deal with aphids on an apple tree? Video.

Perhaps every gardener was faced with such a problem on his site as the appearance of aphids on fruit trees. This happens, as a rule, at the moment when they actively dissolve their leaves, that is, in late spring - early summer. This insect is quite dangerous both for the crop and for the tree as a whole. Many people ask how to treat an apple tree from aphids and at the same time not harm the fruits themselves. We will try to answer these and other questions in the article.

What you need to know about aphids

Aphids on an apple tree in June are not uncommon. It was at this time that the leaves of the trees are saturated with juice, so young greens are the greatest delicacy for this insect. If you have successfully passed this period and your trees were not affected by the pest, you should not relax. The second phase of the appearance of aphids can be the end of summer - it is then that the insect often returns.

It is worth noting that pests multiply very quickly. Females can lay up to 100 larvae at a time. To prevent this, preventive measures must be followed, and if aphids are found, immediately spray the trees.

Is it aphid?

Each experienced gardener must know what aphids are on an apple tree, how to deal with them and defeat them. It would seem, what kind of threat can an insect pose if its length does not exceed 3.5 mm? And the consequences can be the most sad, ranging from the small yield of the crop, ending with the death of the tree.

There are several types of aphids, they differ from each other colors and food preferences. They suck the juice from young leaves, shoots, fruits using a special proboscis. After that, the leaves of the tree curl into a tube, dry up and fall off.

If you do not get rid of aphids in the summer, it is safe to say that next year this attack will again be on apple trees and other fruit trees in your area. The insect can overwinter in the egg phase. In the spring, small larvae will appear from it, which will infect the buds of the tree. Closer to summer, they will turn into winged females flying around the garden and infecting new trees.

Many are afraid to treat apple trees with chemical solutions, but in vain. Aphid preparations have long passed all chemical and biological tests and have proven themselves with the best side... They not only rid the tree of this insect, but also do not harm the fruit.

Green aphid on the apple tree

Green aphids love to damage young trees that are just starting to grow. As a result, the leaves curl, if there are shoots, they dry out, and as a result, the apple tree stops bearing fruit. If aphids have started up on the site, then by the end of summer there will be a characteristic black bloom on the tree, which is popularly called a sooty fungus.

The insect reproduces at a tremendous rate, during the season the female can give up to 10-11 generations. Do not think that the pest will die in winter. Green aphids lay their eggs at the base of the buds, where they have a great time before the onset of heat. In early spring, larvae can already be observed, and then adults.

Getting rid of the pest

Gardeners need to know how to treat an apple tree from aphids of this particular species. This should be done in early spring, before adults appear. In this case, Nitrafen is ideal. It will allow to destroy not only aphid larvae, but also apple scab. It is worth spraying not only the branches of the tree, but also the soil around, this will give a 100% result. If it is not possible to purchase such a product, it is necessary to spray with a green oil concentrate.

If an insect appeared in the hot season, the question arises of how to treat apple trees from aphids in summer. In this case, a tobacco infusion or another folk recipe will come to the rescue.

Why is gray aphid dangerous?

Gray aphids, unlike green aphids, infect mature trees. As a rule, in the spring, the larvae ripen in the laid eggs, which first of all infect the bark of the apple tree. Then they move on to the leaves. Aphids of this species have a characteristic gray color.

The leaves of the tree affected by this insect swell, change color, then curl and dry out. The pest multiplies quite quickly, so control measures should be applied immediately.

Aphids on an apple tree: how to fight and win

The initial stage of the fight against this species of aphid is the same as with the green one. It is necessary to process the tree. Aphid preparations should be used carefully, following the instructions exactly.

After chemical treatment of wood, it is imperative to remove upper layer bark. Then paint the barrel with whitewash. To prevent the insect from reappearing on the apple tree, you can set a special trap. To do this, trapping belts are attached to the trunk of the tree, which are made of thick paper or straw. If aphids reappear, they will definitely lay their eggs there. Late autumn such traps must be carefully removed from the tree and burned.

Trying folk remedies

What can hinder the collection of a good, quality crop? Of course, aphids on an apple tree. How to deal with such an insect? This is a question that is often asked by fans of growing vegetables and fruits in their dachas and vegetable gardens. You need to know that spraying the tree with chemical agents always helps, but there is also folk recipes which also give wonderful results.

    "Coca-Cola" is an excellent remedy for aphids on an apple tree. It allows you to get rid of this insect in a few days. The method is not cheap, but effective. Several liters of drink are consumed per tree. The only caveat is to prevent the ants from accessing the sprayed branches. To do this, special Velcro traps are attached to the tree trunk.

    Soap and ash. Here is another method that has long been known to amateur gardeners. Need to rub laundry soap on a coarse grater, dissolve it in water and add ash. Soapy water settles into a white film, aphids can bite through such a leaf with great difficulty, and ash adds an unpleasant aftertaste.

    Nettle tincture is the cheapest remedy for aphids on an apple tree. It is enough to pick about a kilogram of nettles, steam in warm water, and you can spray the tree.

    We use tobacco. A kilogram of shag or other tobacco waste should be steamed in 10 liters of water. Let it brew for several days (to speed up the process, you can boil the tincture for 10-15 minutes). Then strain the resulting mixture and add 20 liters of cold water. After that, the tincture is ready, you can start spraying the trees.

    Onions will help fight pests. It is enough to chop 100-200 grams of onions, add the same amount of onion husks and pour all 10 liters of warm water. Let it brew for 5-6 days. After that, you can start spraying. This procedure can be carried out no more than 3 times in six months. This tincture protects the tree from aphids, ticks, leaf rollers.

It is worth noting that folk remedies are good as a prophylaxis or when aphids have just appeared on a tree. If these methods of control have not helped, do not hesitate, it is better to use proven chemicals (Intavir, Nitrafen and others).

Prevention measures

After on fruit tree aphid was found, the question arises: "How to spray an apple tree from pests?" Not always application chemicals good for wood and crops. In order to prevent the death of the tree and fruits, it is necessary to take preventive measures that minimize the risks of pests on personal plot:

    one of important rules- remove weeds under trees in time so that aphids do not start there;

    if root sprouts appeared, get rid of them in time;

    do not plant cabbage and flowers near fruit trees;

    fertilize the soil, feed the trees so that they grow healthy;

    spraying branches on time;

    if an anthill is found next to a tree, it must be destroyed;

    the main enemy of aphids is ladybugs, you need to create a favorable environment for them, plant spicy herbs: cumin, parsley, dill, etc.

So that the question does not arise, how to process apple trees from aphids in the summer, it is better to take preventive measures and prevent the appearance of a pest in your personal plot. Remember: this insect is quite dangerous for the crop and the tree in general.

Having on the site fruit trees, many gardeners ask what to do if aphids appear on an apple tree? How to deal with it and not lose the harvest? The answer is obvious: you need to spray the trees on time, using folk recipes or chemicals.