Everyone knows that cultivated plants have enemies – insect pests. But this is not enough. It is important to know which insects cause the greatest harm to certain crops.
We will tell you from whom you need to save apple trees if you want to stock up on fruit for the winter in full. There are only four of them.
Aphid
This parasite can be found everywhere: in the garden, vegetable garden, flowerbed. Despite its tiny size, the creature deprives the plant of juices and settles on buds and young shoots.
The presence of aphids is indicated by curled leaves. They soon dry up and fall off, and red spots may form on the apples.
How to fight
A solution of baking soda (4 tbsp. per 5 l of water) for spraying once every 10-14 days until the aphids disappear.
Apple peduncle
All pests have heard about this. These are the larvae of a butterfly that lays up to 200 eggs. A thin web, rotting and falling fruits indicate that the apple is being eaten by a caterpillar. One caterpillar destroys about three apples during the entire season.
How to fight
Traps with sugar syrup bait are set against butterflies. At night, a flashlight should be placed next to the traps, because butterflies mostly fly at dusk.
Copperhead
Another butterfly. It feeds on plant juice, harms buds, leaves, and flower stalks. Where the pest has been, a white, sticky coating appears. Buds do not open, flowers dry up.
How to fight
Spraying with a solution of potassium permanganate of a rich pink color helps. The treatment interval is once every 7 days.
Leaf roller
Quite a dangerous caterpillar. Slowly but persistently eats the foliage, after which only the veins remain on the plates. Can also feed on fruits.
How to fight
A decoction of wormwood helps (1 kg of dry grass per 2 l of water). Boil for 20-25 minutes, cool, dilute the concentrate to 10 l of water. For better adhesion, add liquid laundry soap (40 g). The treatment interval is 2-3 times a month.
