Apples woolly

mary o mara asked 13 years ago

We have an orchard about 3 yrs old 1 tree has a lot of apples [not sure if they are eaters or cookers] they are covered in a wooly substance, and when rubbed off, are perfect underneath. it was the same last year, good with flowers , no use with fruit trees. sorry if the question seems rather silly. plums were fantastic last year, not good this year.

1 Answers

Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
This sounds like the ‘wool’ from woolly aphid is falling onto fruit below. Woolly aphids feed on the branches not on the fruit but an excess of the wool sometimes falls onto leaves and fruit below.

The wool is a protection for the aphids, which are greenflies. After the fruit is picked, thoroughly spray with a garden insecticide and again next spring if there are signs of the wooly growths on branches.

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