In April, walks in the gardengive you strength and vigor to survive the whole week, which is why I value weekend holidays on the plot so much. However, in order to enjoy a beautiful garden throughout the season,a thorough and precise survey of all plantsThis month you need to pay special attention to our plants. This is very important becauseearly detected pests and diseaseswon't do much damage to our plants.
Numerous falling pine needles can be a disease symptom
Protection of conifers in April
I must start everyvisit to the plot with a survey of conifersMy attention was caught by a few-year-old pine. I noticed that some of the needles turned brown and a lot of them had already dropped. These symptoms may indicatepine rash , a common cause of pine needles dropping.
If there are spots, dots or lines on the pine needles, it is probably a pine rash
For now, the protection of the tree is limited to preventive treatments. I rake and remove all the needles from under the tree toprevent the spread of the fungusHowever, I remember to systematically check the needles for any spots, dots or lines, which will clearly indicate that it is a pine rash . After noticing the first symptoms of this disease, one of the following preparations should be used: Amistar 250 SC (in the proportion of 1 ml of the agent per 1 liter of water) or Scorpion 325 SC for conifers disease (10 ml for 3-12 liters of water).
On the upper side of the pine needles, I noticed characteristic black dots arranged in a row. These are the eggsof the honey plant aphidThe body of an adult honey plant is covered with white, delicate wadding secretion of the wax glands. Before the appearance of adult insects, I apply a thorough and generous spray of paraffin oil or a horticultural preparation based on itPromanal 60 ECThe paraffin oil contained in this preparation blocks the respiratory tract and the pests suffocate. The rice oil contained in Emulpar 940 EC has an identical effect. However, when adult honeybugs appear, spray with an insecticideKarate Zeon 050 CSor another aphicide. "
Characteristically arranged in a row, black dots on pine needles are the eggs of the honey badger aphid
I am also looking closely at the 'Conica'spruce trees that grow in a row along the path.In the previous season, I was fighting spider mites, so I carefully inspect branch by branch. I noticed amber winter eggs on the bark, belonging topine spider miteBefore hatching, you need to spray thoroughly and abundantly using the ecological insecticide Promanal 60 EC orEmulpar 940 EC Later, it will be necessary to spray with an insecticide against spider mites, e.g. Karate Zeon 050 CS (5 ml of the preparation per 10 liters of water).
Eliminating this pest from spruce treesis very important as it causes great harm to the plant by sucking the sap from its cells. or Makes the conifer initially yellowing and then drying out of the needles. Dried needles drop off. The spider mite starts feeding from the bottom of the conifer and gradually approaches its tip.
Protection of ornamental shrubs in April
My interest is also aroused by the growing around the plotboxwood hedge Upon closer inspection, I noticed curled leaves that looked like cabbage heads. The reason for this is the boxwood honey. During feeding, the pest secretes honey dew and wax in the form of white twisted threads. In order to eliminate honeydew, at the beginning of April, when there are no adult insects yet, I sprayPromanal 60 ECorEmulpar 940 ECto destroy the molds wintering. Later, when insects appear, I will use e.g.Karate Zeon 050 CSor Mospilan 20 SP. It is also worth using systematic boxwood cutting, which will limit the development of boxwood honey.
Curled boxwood leaves looking like cabbage heads indicate that the plant was attacked by boxwood
I also check rowan, on which may show ugliness, such aspear skinUntil recently, it was possible to use the preparationTalstar 100 EC, and the best date for spraying was the period when females left their wintering sites, which coincides with the phase of bursting rowan buds.However, this measure has been withdrawn and in amateur crops we only need to remove infected leaves in May and June.
As a result of feeding on the pear treein May, white-yellow to light-green, round-shaped protrusions 1.5-2 mm in diameter appear on the upper side of the rowan leaves. In the same places, but on the underside of the leaves, there are yellow-green, blister-like growths, inside which the stags live and feed. Over time, the trees turn brown, which means that the trees lose their decorative value.
I also look at the bark and annual branches, because these are the places where black, shiny eggs overwinterapple aphidThe larvae of the aphid hatch in April, which coincides with the cracking of apple buds. The apple aphid forms colonies on the tops of the youngest rowan shoots. Initially, it feeds on the youngest developing leaves, then it moves to their lower side. The effect of sucking the juices from the leaves is their twisting, discoloration and inhibition of growth.
At the end of Maywinged forms of aphids develop , which fly to other trees and wreak damage there, so fighting this aphid is very important at the beginning of spring. For spraying, we use preparations from the insecticide group, e.g. Deltam (7.5 ml of the preparation per 10 liters of water) orMospilan 20 SP(1 g of the preparation per 10 liters of water).
Protection of fruit plants in April
I'm now heading towards the orchard. I look closely at currant bushes. On a few shrubs I see unnaturally large and non-developing buds. Probably a symptom of feedingwielkopąkowca currantDamaged buds usually dry out. This pest works by sucking sap from leaves and buds and reducing yields. The shoots are bare, the bushes bear fruit badly, and they can freeze in winter. In addition, the large currant plant carries a dangerous viral disease - blackcurrant reverse.The harmfulness of the large buddy is also related to its great ability to spread - along with air currents it can travel long distances and infect new plants. Therefore, before flowering currants, I collect and burn damaged buds, and cut and burn whole shoots or shrubs with infested buds. This must be done before pests emerge.
Then I take a few steps towards the raspberries. In these shrubs, gallic growths can be observed on the shoots. These are the places of wintering and feeding of the pest larvae. The cause of the distortions may beraspberry leaf midgeorraspberry jellycaterpillarsraspberry see-throughdrill tunnels in the shoots by eating their core and damaged shoots stop growing and dry up over time. In order to remove pests from shrubs, infested shoots are cut and burned.
During this period, it is also worth taking a closer look at the plums. The plum trees are currently in the white bud stage, when the larvae start hatching from the winter eggsfruit spider mite Spider mite eggs can be seen on thinner branches and shoots. The greatest number of eggs is found around the buds, shoots and on the border of 2-3-year-old increments. During a large infestation of a tree, spider mite eggs may form extensive red spots on the shoots. The larvae that leave the winter eggs are very active. They quickly and efficiently spread to young, delicate leaves and start feeding mainly on their underside.
The feeding of the spider mite is revealed byon the upper side of the leaves by tiny, yellow-white spots. In contrast, tiny red mites are visible on the underside of the leaves. Spider mites suck cell sap, causing leaves to turn gray and silver.
The control of the fruit spider mite can start in early spring, before the pests hatch from the winter eggs. Then it is best to use one of the oil preparations, e.g. the previously mentionedEmulpar 940 EC , Promanal 60 EC or Treol 770 EC.Later spraying, use one of the acaricides (spider mites), eg Limocide, in the proportion of 10 ml of the agent per 1 liter of water.
Then I go to the apple orchard. The leaves at the tops of the shoots are linked into nests with caterpillars inside. These arerollers(e.g. a flake of a motley, a moth gouge). The list of insecticides recommended for combating leaf rollers is long. The range of effective and, at the same time, selective insecticides that can be used to combat leaf-rollers has significantly expanded. For spraying against these pests, for example,Mospilan 20 SP
The best choice against torticollis caterpillars, however, will be the biological preparation Lepinox PlusIt contains contains the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterium infects the caterpillars of the tortoise, causing the pests to stop feeding immediately, and quickly die. It is an environmentally safe preparation, selective against beneficial insects, allowed for use in ecological gardens.
For amateur garden use, Lepinox Plus is sold in 10 g sachets. This sachet should be dissolved in 5 liters of water, so it is matched to the most popular garden sprayer capacity.
All these advantages make thatLepinox Plus is an excellent preparation for combating the tortoiseshell caterpillars on fruit trees
"The brown rot of pome trees requires regular control, because if it is not controlled, it causes large losses in the yield.On ripening fruit appear brown, putrefying, enlarging spots which over time cover the whole fruit. Numerous white, concentric lumps form on the putrefying spots. Rotten fruit wrinkles, dries up and may remain on the tree as so-called mummies. They can also fall to the ground. Infected fruit may rot massively during transport and storage. And unfortunately - infected fruits cannot be eaten. "
Protection of flower beds in April
The last point of my spring plot is a flower bed. Hellebores and tulips grow on it at this time of year. I noticed large spots on the hellebore leaves. They are irregular with zones arranged in rings. Infected leaves then turn yellow and dry. These symptoms are caused byhellebore leaf blotchI remove the infected leaves and burn them. Then spray with a fungicide, e.g.Topsin M 500 SC(1 ml per liter of water).
"I also look closely at the tulips.I can see yellowish stains that dry with time on the leaves. The leaves are distorted, some with jagged edges. Some tulips have already emerged with damaged leaves. Small necrotic (drying) spots appear on the flowers, which gradually increase in size. These symptoms are characteristic ofgray moldtulip, caused by Botrytis cinerea. It is a very dangerous disease for tulips, so I start treating it straight away.
You need to use fungicides, e.g. the aforementionedTopsin M 500 SC(5 ml of the agent per 1 liter of water) or the natural Biosept Active. In order to eliminate this disease completely, the place of planting tulips should be changed for the next season. It is important that the tulips do not grow in the same place for many years. If other bulbs grow near the tulips, they also need to be sprayed as a rule of thumb, better prevention than cure. For this purpose, however, let us not abuse chemicals anymore. As a preventive measure, it is enough to use Biosept Active, which is a product based on the extract of seeds and grapefruit pulp."
Aleksandra Dziugan-Smoleń
