Insatiable peach pests: how to deal with them and win the war
From time immemorial, orchards have been a favorite place for a feast of various insects. Summer residents are especially upset by the peach pests, which mercilessly destroy the long-awaited harvest. Growing this tree on the site is not an easy task. Not every region is perfect for the pampered southern fruit. In addition, for his life, he will have to constantly wage a war with voracious insects, which are disguised in the lush crown of a tree. How to recognize a hated enemy and win an invisible war? Let's look at several proven methods.
Dangerous peach pests detected
- sheet plates:
- stems;
- fruit.
As a result, the development of the peach slows down, the harvest is lost and leads to death. The surest way to save a tree is by detecting pests and fighting them tirelessly. But first, it is important to know the enemy by sight.
Disguised roommate - shield
At first glance, the insect looks pretty cute. Its body is covered with a dense shell, which seems to have been smeared with wax. From the side it resembles a shield (hence the name of the insect). There are a huge number of species in nature. They differ from each other in color, shape, size and food addiction. These peach pests inhabit the bark of the tree. They suck moisture out of it, lay eggs and even hibernate. They grow up to 7 mm. Some insect species are viviparous. After birth, the larvae are in active movement until they find a secluded place for themselves. They attach themselves to shoots, foliage, and trunk with a proboscis, then secrete wax, which later becomes a protective shield.
The scale insects that cause irreparable harm to the peach are of two types: Californian and mulberry.
When an insect attacks a tree, there are special signs of its presence:
- leaf plates begin to wither;
- young shoots curl;
- the bark becomes loose;
- the fruits are strewn with red dots.
How to deal with scabbard on a peach to protect the tree from damage and harvest a valuable crop? There are several ways:
- Manually. If the tree is small, the insects can be simply collected from the places of "deployment" and destroyed.
- Agrotechnics. Removing damaged shoots, thinning the crown of the tree.
- Folk method. Spraying peach with tobacco leaf tincture.
- The use of chemicals to treat the plant in mid-spring and, again, in August.
By adhering to these simple rules, you can get rid of this peach pest forever.
You can prepare the tincture as follows: dilute 400 g of tobacco in 10 liters of water and leave for 24 hours. Then boil the liquid for 2 hours and add laundry soap (about 50 g). Dilute the finished product with water (10 l).
Invisible sucker - harmful aphid
When people say: “I've already drunk all the juices out of me, they have no idea what the trees feel in such cases. The appearance of the peach aphid immediately affects the plant:
- young shoots begin to wither;
- leaves dry up and fall off ahead of time;
- dry branches appear;
- the plant is susceptible to disease.
Often insects settle in the lower part of the leaf plate, on the buds (during flowering), on the tops of young shoots. Their presence betrays the appearance of a sticky liquid that attracts the attention of the colony. ants... As a result, the tree suffers from the attack of a whole army of peach pests and fighting them is a sure way of salvation for the fruit. For this, cardinal measures are used:
- removal of basal processes;
- weeding the soil near the trunk;
- cleaning the places where aphids accumulate manually or with a hose filled with water;
- involvement of "allies" in the case: wasps, ladybugs, hover flies;
- growing repellent plants (nettles, herbs, onions);
- spraying with garlic tinctures, dandelions and onion skins;
- pretreatment of peaches in the spring from pests with chemicals.
If you apply the listed methods of dealing with aphids in time, then in the summer the tree will bring a bountiful harvest.
Cute pest - oriental moth
A small butterfly with a dark body and gray-brown wings appears in the garden during the flowering of peach trees. The insect is especially active in the morning and late evening. It lays hundreds of eggs on the tops of young stems, buds and peduncles. When the larvae of the eastern moth develop, they need the food they get from the peach. As a result, the tree begins to ache. Immediately, gum and cracks appear on young shoots, which can lead to the death of the plant.
To combat insects, gardeners use the following methods:
- remove damaged leaves, bark, shoots from the tree;
- loosen the soil around the peach trunk;
- lumps of matter impregnated with chlorophos are attached to the branches.
But in order to get the final victory with pests, it is necessary to apply drastic measures.
Pest Control Activities
A special place in protecting the plant from harmful insects is the use of the peach processing scheme. It consists in carefully following the procedures provided to protect the tree from pests. Processing is carried out during the following periods of plant life:
- before the onset of swelling of the kidneys;
- when a pink bud appears;
- during and after flowering;
- 14 days after flowering;
- during the period of active growth of fruits and at intervals of 3 weeks;
- after complete collection of fruits;
- in late autumn before wintering.
Of course, a healthy tree does not need to be treated as often. The scheme provides measures for plants damaged by pests. Therefore, each gardener applies a personal decision on how to protect their garden from pests.
When peach trees are in bloom, do not use insecticides. When processing neighboring crops, it is advisable to cover the peaches with plastic wrap.