Ants and Aphids on Apple trees? Here's how to fix it!

Ants and ladybugs, curled up leaves...you probably have APHIDS.

[@careya]

Aphids love trees that are distressed. An arborist told me to water my mature tree more and fertilize it, and spray the tree with water to physically knock off the aphids. I did that, plus got some ladybugs that immediately flew away, and now I can’t find any aphids. The new leaves are now flat and glossy, like they should be. I didn’t think it would work, but it sure did.

[@jeannine9066]

Very helpful! My tree is new, so I am inexperienced in growing apple trees. I saw the aphids in a leaf curl with the ants and thought they were ant eggs! I don't have insecticide soap, and want to be organic and since my tree is small, I will remove the aphids with duct tape (like I do with squash bug eggs) and remove the affected leaves. I will also check my tight cluster for aphids. Thank you again

[@blairmarriott3737]

Ive got aphids and ants on the undersides of the new leaves on my apple trees I've tried spraying pesticides but they come back so now I will try the soap. I'm in Bulgaria where lots of people paint the trunk of their fruit trees white . The reason is they say ants won't cross the white border because they feel exposed to prey .

[@karljoost4430]

Very helpful to me. Impressed by your calm integrated pest management strategy and approach. I particularly like your advice to use insecticidal soap early at the tight cluster or pink stage. I was totally unaware of aphids getting started that early. Also to apply this at late in the day when pollinators are active.

[@healthyhorticulture]

Yea, the very first generation, sometimes referred to as the “mother aphids” can get on your trees pretty early. If you can catch them early on they are easier to control because they are not yet rolled up into the leaves which makes a contacts insecticide like soap or oil much more effective.

[@sedoniadragotta8323]

Vassaline from the base of the bark to 3 ways up it . Works every time And mix neem and apple cider vinigar and water spray every day

[@jkaknis1204]

aphids on fruit trees are an indicator of excess nitrogen. if you have aphids, reduce the amount of nitrogen that you are adding. fertilize appropriately and aphids will not be a problem.

[@jesuswarnedusaboutthem7710]

Hi. I just found a ton of ants on my fruit tree, I threw DE on the tree for now and am doing reasearch. I did not see aphids but I’ll look tomorrow, I don’t have any fruit on it , haven’t been fertilizing it. What else could it be ?

[@MikeAG333]

It's important to say that aphids CAN be a major problem on apple tree........... newly planted and young apple trees. We nearly lost a 2 year old tree last year with a major infestation of aphids which caused leaf curl on every single leaf on the tree. It was touch-and-go whether the tree would survive. Oh, and ants actually protect aphids from their natural predators, so keeping the ants off the tree is a fundamental to keeping the aphids down.

[@northjerseygardener]

The information I need thanks for your video 🌳🍎

[@healthyhorticulture]

Glad it was helpful

[@janeslade159]

Thank you for your helpful video. Probably too late this year but next year I’ll try it along with grease bands which someone else recommended to deter the ants from farming the aphids. What do you recommend for applying the insecticidal soap? It must be difficult to reach the aphids if they’re deep inside a curled up leaf.

[@healthyhorticulture]

Yes it is difficult which is why I mentioned doing an application or two before the tree is in flower. At that earlier stage you might be able to catch them before they start rolling up in the leaves

[@triciaalthen5414]

What insecticidal soap do we use? Where do we get it and is there a particular type of ingredient in it that we must have?

[@concretekillers2764]

Hi can you please share a link where you bought it

[@naomi8097]

My apple trees get attacked every year after petal fall with a brown “speak” that makes the apple drop prematurely. I’m thinking plum curculio so? What can I do?

[@johnthroop2092]

I just purchased a beautiful apple tree 3 days ago and this evening I was getting ready to put it in the ground and now almost every leaf on the tree is badly curled and very full of aphids when you open up the leaf! With that many curled leaves I don't see how it can be saved, because if I pick off every curled leaf there won't be hardly any leaves left! Any suggestions without removing the leaves?

[@BackyardBirdsUS]

Impressive video. Well explained. You are an excellent speaker. I've never seen aphids on my apple trees. I'm hoping beneficial insects will keep things in check. I fear the insecticidal soap will kill the lady bug larvae.

[@healthyhorticulture]

And that’s a proper approach, especially when dealing with an insect that doesn’t typically cause significant damage to your tree or harvest. Often environmental conditions can make or break aphid outbreaks, some years they’re nowhere to be found and some years they’re everywhere

[@ericthoman4069]

How often should we use the soap or oil spray for aefids in the spring? The Agway lady told me to spray once after petal drop, then spray once more a week later.

[@healthyhorticulture]

Two applications should get you off to a good start for aphids. Just keep in mind that there are also other insects that can come in after petal fall that soap isn’t very effective against. Once all the blooms are off you can use other products without the risk of hurting pollinators. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn_WimtmbNOFr7s

[@pfurr281]

Do you spray you apple trees in the winter,if yes with what?

[@healthyhorticulture]

No, not in the winter. If I have an outbreak of mites I’ll do a dormant oil spray in late fall or if I’m dealing with peach leaf curl I’ll hit them with copper in November but that’s about the extent of it.

[@pfurr281]

@@healthyhorticulture thank you so much.

[@Katie-hp5yk]

Where can I get the insecticidal soap? Any brand recommendations?

[@healthyhorticulture]

Most insecticidal soaps are pretty much the same. For small scale you can use the ‘Safer’ brand, for larger scale I use ‘M pede’

[@allentruitt8632]

Ant are literally eating my apples from the inside out. Big black ants. First i had black spots coming on the apples.

[@jesuswarnedusaboutthem7710]

What is the soap called ? Thank u

[@healthyhorticulture]

It’s insecticidal soap, there are several different brands, all of which are basically the same.

[@jesuswarnedusaboutthem7710]

@@healthyhorticulture thank u

[@jesuswarnedusaboutthem7710]

Does Neem or demateous earth kill aphids ?

[@healthyhorticulture]

DE, in theory might be helpful but of the two options I would go with neem oil. Just follow label instructions and don’t spray during temps above 80 or 85 degrees.

[@jesuswarnedusaboutthem7710]

@@healthyhorticulture thank u. I tried it and it killed the ants. I put some ant poison down also

[@christined4452]

ants farm aphids, get rid of ants ants aphids disappear , no ?

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

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