Plum is a tree that is grown everywhere, because the culture is characterized by high fertility and good adaptability to climatic conditions. There are several hundred varieties of plums, which are found mainly in temperate latitudes.
Diseases and pests of plums cause significant damage to the fruit harvest. In addition, they, weakening the tree, lead him to death from freezing in winter. To combat plum pests, there are a number of agrotechnical measures, and chemical treatment is also applied. We describe the basic diseases of plums and the ways of their treatment, and also consider how to protect the plum from pests.
Treatment of plum from pests
1. Plum moth is a parasite that eats not only the plum, but also other fruit trees. Intruding into the fruit, the caterpillar makes a move to the cuttings and disturbs the inflow of nutritious juices. The fruit stops growing and after a while falls off. Caterpillars hibernate under the bark in the lower part of the trunk, closer to the root system.
Destruction : tying belts from sacking, digging the earth, manual collection of caterpillars after harvesting plums and their elimination.
2. Plum pollinated aphids damage other stone fruits besides plum. Populated in the lower part of the leaves, the leaves lose color, the fruits rot, the tree weakens.
Destruction : Spray plums from pests in early spring, before the beginning of sap flow.
3. Rozannaya moltvertka - a pest that affects stone fruit. The caterpillar deforms the leaves, fastening them into a lump.
Destruction : with minor damage, you can collect butterflies during egg laying (they are only able to crawl during this period). Effective means - spraying in early spring.
4. The yellow plum sawfly prefers to devour the fruits of the plum.
Destruction : digging up the soil, before blossoming, the sawmill plum is brushed off and razed. Also, the tree is sprayed in the spring.
5. Unpaired silkworms cause significant damage to fruit crops. Large caterpillars with warts on the back eats leaves, oviposition is done both on the tree itself, and nearby hedges and buildings.
Destruction : scraping knife places oviposition and processing with kerosene. Sprinkling of the tree before and after flowering.
Than to process a plum from pests?
Spraying is carried out through a garden sprayer with carbophos, chlorophos, nitrophene and benzophosphate according to the standards specified in the instructions for use, now you can use spray cans for processing small plantations. Aphids and unpaired silkworm are destroyed with the drug Inta-Vir (1 tablet per 10 liters of water).
Diseases of the plum
1. Marsupial plum disease is one of the most dangerous plum diseases. Fruits are affected by a white-gray coating caused by a fungus, finding a sack-like shape. The fruits fall prematurely, the tree is weakened.
Fighting : spraying with a 3% Bordeaux liquid after harvesting and early spring.
2. Perforated spotting - manifested in ulcers on branches and gum. Fruits are affected to the bone, gradually drying out. The spread of the disease occurs with excessive humidity.
Struggle : removal of affected branches and shoots in autumn, spraying with 1% Bordeaux fluid.
3. Monoliosis is a common disease of stone fruits. The flowers, buds, leaves and fruit branches are affected, fruits decay and wither. The disease spreads through weevils and progresses in conditions of high humidity.
Fighting : harvesting fallen leaves, cutting and destroying affected shoots and rotten fruits. The tree is sprayed with a 3% Bordeaux liquid at the appearance of the leaves, then 2 more times in 2 weeks by a 1% solution of the Bordeaux liquid.
Timely and systemic protection of plums from pests and diseases will help to grow and collect an excellent harvest of delicious and juicy fruits!