Apple tree trouble

[danniiangel]

Hi there

I had a white furry growth on my apple tree branches with black aphids (I think) on it. I did some research and it seems it may have been woolly aphids so I cleaned them off the tree with soapy water and have sprayed it with olive oil (as per advice elsewhere).

When I cleaned it, the debris came off red - is that right or could it be another pest? I'm keen to get this sorted as this is the first time my dwarf apple tree has flowered since I got it three years ago and I want my apples!

Thanks

[GardenFaery]

I spray and wash mine with warm soapy water. That's right thing to do for aphids or scale. Not sure what the red would be?
Wouldnt help to generally increase ladybird population nearby too? Ladybirds love many herbs, so if you don't want to or cant plant anything underneath apple tree, you could try herbs in pots nearby that could be moved around? Ladybirds do a much better job than any insecticide:each ladybird will eat about 5000 aphids and will soon produce ladybird larvae which in turn also eat aphids

There is red spider mite - but dont think these are visable to naked eye anyway so wouldnt show as red? Hopefully someone who knows will come along shortly! lol

[FB.]

Again, a late reply (best to put fruit tree problems in the fruit section, where fruit enthusiasts are more liekly to lurk).

Woolly aphids have a white furry coating, resembling a fungus.
The aphids underneath are usually dark blue-grey (or pale black, I suppose!).
When you squash them, their internal juices are red, like blood.

So everything you note is due to woolly aphid.

The best treatments are:
Squashing in summer.
Pruning out in winter.
Use of a hosepipe to blast them off.

The best "predator" of woolly aphids in my area is a tiny (about 3mm long), gnat-like black-coloured wasp which stabs an egg into the woolly aphids and the wasp larvae grow inside; eventually causing the aphid to burst open (just like the film "Alien").

The woolly aphids will eventually cause a lot of deformity, splitting and weakening of the branch structure, and also encourage wood-rotting/wood-killing diseases such as canker, so the woolly aphids need to be dealt with promptly.
They will hide in the soil in/on the roots in winter, in addition to pruning cuts on the branches or in splits in the bark which result from swelling and splitting of the wood due to the damage caused by the aphids saliva.
The use of MM-prefix rootstocks (MM106, MM111 and the MM116 whose patent was mis-filed as M116) was intended to stop the aphids hiding underground, and also offering some deterrent value to aphids wanting to attack the variety on top.

Many of the popular varieties are attractive to woolly aphids, but some of the rarer varieties are resistant; woolly aphid is such a devastating problem in my area that it is essential to plant varieties with partial resistance or immunity if they are to reach mature size without severe disfigurement.

Sheltered, mild, dry conditions favour their development.