Potted 'Discovery' apple tree. White fly / ants.

[muckledug]

Hi there.
I have a potted M9 Discovery apple tree. The growing season is not long started here - the fruit buds are at the 'mouse ear' stage - but already I seem to have a problem with ants farming aphids on them. Lots of white fly and sticky stuff.
What can I do at this stage?

[fishpond]

Hi
I have copied this from a recent post that I have made.
"Also plenty of wood ants which are being as troublesome as ever, they walked straight over the Vaseline and hydrated lime with no problem, as much as I hate it I have had to cover bases of fruit trees with ant killer".
Addition to this is that I have also squirted the ant killer over the vaseline.
I have been out there today and for the 1st time in many years---No Ants!!!!
Hope this helps.

[Jungle Jane]

I just buy an ant bait box as soon as I see any ant activity,put it right where they're walking,only takes a couple of days & activity stops,no ants. If you squirt or pick the aphids off,they can't get back on,having just a few on there won't do any damage to the tree.
Whitefly lay loads of eggs & you'll see their babies on the underside of leaves,check all shrubs,if you can find them in the wingless stage they're easy to get rid of. I use a hand sprayer filled with water & a penny size of liquid hand wash-1pump (put water in first,shake it about after adding soap) the adult whitefly get really fed up eventually. Last year I had whitefly on the bottom leaves of my Brussels sprouts & all their eggs were being laid in the head/top bit of growth,so I just squirted them with the hand soap solution & afterwards spray with fresh water to clean off soap residue,some people use garlic in the spray,a lot of bugs don't like the smell. Chemical bug clearing sprays have health warnings,not to breathe in fumes/avoid contact with skin,so if it's toxic to humans,I imagine all insects would suffer from these sprays,so ethically speaking,I don't use them,but some people do,it's your choice. It's good you've spotted them early!

[starloc]

Are you sure its white fly? , with being on apple tree white sticky stuff could be wooly apple aphid they are redish brown underneath when you squish them