Cherry problems & Blackfly

[Ken the Chef]

For the past three years my Stella cherry tree has developed fruits and the turned brown before dropping.. THE SAME HAS HAPPENED YET AGAiN.
After returning from holiday I found the tree infested with Black Fly. I sprayed with a systemic bug killer.
The fruits have now turned a dull brown and I am sure the fruit will drop again.
Can any one help????

[Cherrygirl]

Cherry blackfly is very common and it sounds like you've done the right thing there!

Regarding the cherry drop, where is your tree planted? Is the soil free draining and deep? Cherries like to be kept well watered but not waterlogged. Otherwise it might just be that the tree hasn't reached full maturity yet. Colt rootstock would be expected to take 4 to 6 years to crop satisfactorily.

[Sheilakins]

Same thing here with my Stella too this is the third year running it's got cherry black fly....I'm at a lose now on how to cure it...seriously thinking of cutting it down,altho the fruits look fine, it's just the leaves.

[Guest]

My Stella is a similar state but the fruit is doing fine. Although I watched some bees (little bumble types) last night purposely going in to the curled leaves. Anyone know why they would?

[shewhoguards]

Cherry Blackfly

Ugh ugh ugh.

My cherry tree looked fine on top but when probing to look for cherries, some of the inner bushy bits have gone all black and sticky. Google says blackfly :-(

Do I remove affected leaves? Will a soapy water spray help?

[fishpond]

My Stella is a similar state but the fruit is doing fine. Although I watched some bees (little bumble types) last night purposely going in to the curled leaves. Anyone know why they would?

Noticed this on an Apple tree for the last couple of days, I assume that they are feeding on the Honey dew.
Strange though as it was the same leaf, also looked like the same Bumble.

[Guest]

Ugh ugh ugh.

My cherry tree looked fine on top but when probing to look for cherries, some of the inner bushy bits have gone all black and sticky. Google says blackfly :-(

Do I remove affected leaves? Will a soapy water spray help?

What actions you take is a very personal thing. On the one hand let nature be, on the other spray with any or a combination of various oils and soap or jet them off with a hose. As far as I am aware they don't do any drastic long term damage. If the tree is weak then by all means get rid of them it needs its energy to focus on itself.

[BUFFS]

I took the growing tips off my stella cherry early in april on advice of a neighbouring gardener and although the tree has reshooted ,so far no blackfly, it might just have been too cold for them up here though and the peach and apricot are clean as well, so far......

[shewhoguards]

My main concern is that it might spread - it's only in certain bits of the tree at the minute (and I have other cherry trees nearby)