Somethings eating my fruit trees! Help please.
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My fruit trees are getting munched on by something. Some of the leaves have actual chewed out areas on the edges and some are holes in the middle. Then there are other leaves that are getting twisted and curling up real tight. Other plants, the leaves almost look like they were "burnt" around the edges, black and curled up. This is my first year gardening any pros out there with advise?
5 answers
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Sounds to me like caterpillars on your fruit trees. They like to chomp on the leaves, and when they've had their fill they'll roll themselves up in the leaves to cocoon. If you look closely, do you see little green inch-worm looking insects? And/or, do you see what looks like ground pepper on the leaves or the ground under the plant?
Lavende
on Apr 17, 2014
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It's hard to tell what the issue is without seeing photos, but you are learning a sad fact of growing fruit at home: it is almost impossible to get an edible harvest without some type of spray program. See these recommendations from UC Davis: http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/calendar.pdf
Douglas Hunt
on Apr 18, 2014
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This sounds like aphids to me. I live in a fruit producing valley. I have a cherry tree in my yard and must spray every spring at pruning time with Dormant oil, a compound of sulphur and oil sold in most gardening centers. It also protects rose bushes, etc. Fruit trees also require further attention. In the west the sweet cherry is also attacked by the cherry fruit fly and must be sprayed with another chemical if you want worm-free cherries. There is no such thing as organic cherries in the western part of the country.
Elaine
on Apr 18, 2014
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Holes in the middle are lace bugs and do no damage. The curled up leaves sound like caterpillers, brown edges can be sun burnt. Hard to say without seeing the leaves themselves
Linda Snyder
on Apr 18, 2014
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Thanks everyone. I will go take photos and post to help you help me.
Nancee Barnett
on Apr 19, 2014
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