Please Help With MY Apple Tree

Question

Apple tree is laden with friut and not quite ready for eating or storing. However the alpples are being eaten by small flies. The tree has never been sprayed ever and is about 6years old (Worchester Permaine). Is there something we should be doing ?Thanking you.

Answer 1

it's not too practical to spray for flies. they come and go and don't really "eat" enough plant material to absorb poison.   they're actually attracted to the sweet tree sap and bruised or cut apples, not the undamaged fruit protected by the skin, so clean up all the fallen fruit and pick any damaged you don't want. otherwise, the flies are mostly just a nuisance.   .  

Answer 2

hi, spray your apple tree with malathion. follow directions on bottle for when to consume to fruit. paulie

Answer 3

Try to figure out what the pest is that is destroying your apples. Catch one and take a picture or bring it to your local nursery for identification. That will help you decide how best to treat.

Many chemicals cannot be sprayed if the fruit is close to ripening. But you can use things like fly traps or lures (pheromones or sticky traps) which are safe to use while fruit is ripening.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I think it is a bit too late in the UK to do much about this at the moment but you can take preventative measures in spring. I use a

Tar wash for my fruit trees. You could also put Fruit Tree Grease  - I use a brush-on (from garden centre) around the trunk. This is a trap for winter moths on fruit trees. (not too late for this)

Regards. h