‘Understand the pest and you are part way to controlling the problem.’

Brown Rot
This rot is often associated with storage when a fungus permeates the fruit. Fruit on the tree can be mummified and this prolongs the life of the fungus. There are no effective organic sprays so rely on good cultural management. Take care picking and storing fruit.

The rot starts through wounds caused by birds, wasps and scab. At blossom time the fungus causes wilt and shoots to shrivel. Remove all rotting fruit and bury rather than compost. Prune and burn branches killed by wilt.

 

Aphids
Of the many species the green or rosy apple aphids and the woolly aphids plus the pear-bedstraw aphid can be very troublesome. Aphids mate in Autumn leaving eggs to over winter on spurs crevices and tips. Heavily infested shoot tips and flower cluster should be cut out and destroyed. Encourage beneficial insects like earwigs and ladybirds.
Plant extract controls are permitted like pyrethrum and potassium soap sprays. Unfortunately leaves may have curled protectively around the insects. Spray fortnightly in September and October when there are no curled leaves to prevent the laying of overwintering eggs.

Moths
Serious damage can be done by moths. Codling moths lay eggs in June, singly on fruit then the grub burrows into the growing fruit, to emerge as a second generation in September or next spring. Tortrix moth caterpillars feed on the edges of clean fruit. Winter moths are becoming more of a problem particularly to Bramley apples overwintering in mild winters.
Cultural management helps control moth larvae by thinning damaged fruit, applying grease bands to trap wingless females, cleaning debris and encouraging predators. Biological control now includes phermone dispensers to interfer with reproduction.

Apple Sawfly
Reductions in crop yeilds arise from the larvae burrowing under the skin and leaving a brown frasss and ribbon scar. Each insect can attack several fruit. Ground beetles eat eat sawfly pupae and sticky traps may help with control. Pyrethrum spray when 80% of petals fall is the optimum time for chemical help.

Weevils and Suckers
These pests also attack Pears and Apples. In addition to the treatmet above a parasitic wasp may be used on weevils.

Scab and Powdery Mildew
The most economically important diseases for orchards with the corky lesions and early leaf fall are scabs. Heavy infestations one year and a mild winters and wet summer increase scab to epidemic proportions. Use scab resistant varieties. Prune away badly infected wood and fruit. Early season sprays of copper and sulphur-seaweed mix may be of some benefit

Canker
Canker affects older trees and fruit will not store as long from an infected tree. Pruning out and avoiding susceptible varieties are the best controls.