Codling moth is endemic in our area. I am getting conflicing advice as to treatment for my mature apple treee - its big!
My instinct says spray now just after the petal drop. But what next? Some advice is to keep spraying every two weeks. The tree is near Oher fruit. So I am not keen to spray when these are fruiting.
Just in case other readers look at this and wonder what codling moth is? It is that nasty white grub you find inside apples and other fruit.
Hugh Phillips
Quebec
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
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If you mean spray with a pesticide, I am going to recommend against that. Pesticides tend to cause more problems that they temporarily solve. What happens over time is that pests that we try to remove with pesticides are artificially selected for individuals who are immune to the pesticide. That causes a huge problem for dealing with the pest problem.
Some research on the web will probably turn up some organic methods to solving your problem.
One that I can think of is to plant plants that will attract birds to your yard and the birds will eat the coddling moth.
Do a little research and find out what predators the moth has and then, try to attract these predators your your yard.
There is a bit of a push in organic circles right now to just release insects that are predators of various pests but, you have to be a little careful with this as you may be introducing a foreign species into the ecosystem. Basically, a little research goes a long way.
If worst comes to worst, it may not be feesible to grow an apple tree in your area but, that is a last resort measure.
Some research on the web will probably turn up some organic methods to solving your problem.
One that I can think of is to plant plants that will attract birds to your yard and the birds will eat the coddling moth.
Do a little research and find out what predators the moth has and then, try to attract these predators your your yard.
There is a bit of a push in organic circles right now to just release insects that are predators of various pests but, you have to be a little careful with this as you may be introducing a foreign species into the ecosystem. Basically, a little research goes a long way.
If worst comes to worst, it may not be feesible to grow an apple tree in your area but, that is a last resort measure.
I agree totally with your comments about pesticdes.
In the past when I lived in the UK, I used a repellant - tar spray. This is innocuous and safe if in contact with other plants. Plus of couse it does not kill insects just confuses them. Thus the wild life, with whom we share the garden, are unaffected.
You simply spray when the insects are active - laying - and the plants are vunerable.
However, I can find no equivalent in Canada.
Hugh
In the past when I lived in the UK, I used a repellant - tar spray. This is innocuous and safe if in contact with other plants. Plus of couse it does not kill insects just confuses them. Thus the wild life, with whom we share the garden, are unaffected.
You simply spray when the insects are active - laying - and the plants are vunerable.
However, I can find no equivalent in Canada.
Hugh