Plum - common in a temperate climate fruit tree, bringing juicy sweet and sour fruit. Like any garden culture, the plum is prone to damage by pests, one of which is a plum-pollinated aphid.
Biological features of aphids
This slow-moving tiny insect creates whole colonies covering the lower part of the leaves and young shoots. In autumn, aphids lay eggs, from which, with the onset of spring warm days, larvae appear. Feeding on tree juices, they grow rapidly and spawn new offspring. When the ruined plant ceases to satisfy the appetites of the aphid settlement, insects have a progeny with wings, capable of flying and producing 15 to 17 generations over the summer.
Isolated aphids in the process of vital activity sweet juice attracts ants, flies and wasps. Ants protect aphids and hide in the anthills of insect females during the cold period of the year, thus ensuring the viability of the parasite.
Fighting aphids on the plum
Gardeners, whose fruit trees are affected by a colony of insects, do not always know how to deal with aphids on a plum. Measures to combat plague aphids are based on the use of 3 basic methods:
- mechanical;
- chemical;
- technological and biological.
The technological and biological method provides for the cultivation of plants that are poorly tolerated by aphids, such as onions, garlic and Dalmatian chamomile, as well as the rejection of plants that attract aphids, such as limes, calves, mallow, cosmeas, nasturtiums and begonias. Perhaps planting in the garden plants that attract natural enemies of aphids. So to attract the ladybug - the main killer of aphids - in the garden, dill and mustard are planted, and in order to attract another devourer of a harmful insect - a babbler, planting umbellate plants (carrots, parsley, dill and fennel ).
Also, the technological-biological method involves the attraction of birds - natural enemies of aphids by means of the device of starling-houses.
The mechanical method consists in breaking off the affected leaves, young shoots and flushing the aphid settlements with a good head of water from the hose.
Than to process a plum from aphids?
The chemical way to combat aphids is the most effective and lasting effect. Effective remedies for aphids on draining are solutions of preparations S-30 (300 ml per 10 l of water), "Karbafos", "Sharpei", "Inta-Vir" (solutions are prepared in accordance with the instructions). You can use a kerosene soap emulsion, which can be mixed with a small amount of hot water, 80 g of kerosene and 40 grams of laundry soap. The resulting emulsion is diluted in 10 liters of water - and the solution can be used for spraying.
To combat bothersome aphids are also used infusions of some plants: celandine, potato and tomato tops, garlic, onions, chili peppers. In the trees treated with plant solutions, the taste of leaves and shoots changes, which the parasite does not like. Infusions of plants are an environmentally friendly means of struggle and significantly
Treatment of plums from aphids by sprinkling should be started in early spring. The following spraying is carried out at the beginning of the bud opening, and the third treatment is timed to the phase of detaching the buds. When new aphid colonies are discovered, re-treatment with solutions is recommended in summer.
Aphids are more often affected by weakened plants. In order to strengthen the fruit trees, the root top dressing is used with a solution of superphosphate (10 g per 10 liters of water).
With an active approach to pest control, you will save the health of trees and help to get a good plum crop!