Bee safe fruit tree spray.

[Sparky]

Has anyone used NEEM oil to spray their fruit trees for pest ? If so how well did it seem to work ? Some of my fruit trees have not been sprayed since I started keeping bees and they are needing some help. I have read that the oil also helps to fight the fungal infections that fruit trees get.

[bee-nuts]

What kind of fruit trees?  A friend of mine has had good success with an alternate method for apples.  He puts something in a milk jug that hangs on the trees and some fake red apples with a sticky covering and it works pretty well.  I think it is for flys or something that lay eggs that bore out of the apples. 

[Sparky]

More apple trees than anything. I have some peach, cherry and pear trees but the apple seems to get ugly after some time of not being sprayed. I have heard of hanging something in the trees but it slips my little mind what it was they told me. I think you are correct about it helping with the flies.

[bee-nuts]

You want me to shoot my friend and email and find out exactly what he uses?

[joker1656]

If I can just chime in here....I would be curious about any bee-safe spray/methods for apple trees too.  We have at least a dozen oooold apple trees around our property that still bear.  I have never sprayed them, but have wanted to.  We still munch the apples, but would like to get more use out of them. 

   

You want me to shoot my friend and email and find out exactly what he uses?

I truly hope you don't "shoot" your friend.... ;) LOL, but I would like to know what those fake apples are.  Sparky, I am glad you started this thread.  I have just never got around to asking.   

[Sparky]

You want me to shoot my friend and email and find out exactly what he uses?

Sure. I am always open to learning to use any products that do not put chemicals that can be avoided on anything we eat and could harm the girls.

[bee-nuts]

Just sent him an email.  Should hear something in a day or two.  Ill let you know as soon as he gets back to me. 

I know the stuff he puts in the jugs has to be hanging before they flower because if I remember right they actually lay there eggs in the flower so you basically give them something that smells sweeter that then flower that that they cant resist and they get stuck to it or drown in.  The other thing is basically a sticky apple like one of those sticky fly traps (reusable thing that you coat with something).  Must be for a later pest.  They are not 100 percent effective but I know they sure help a lot.

[Sparky]

Just sent him an email.  Should hear something in a day or two.  Ill let you know as soon as he gets back to me.  

I know the stuff he puts in the jugs has to be hanging before they flower because if I remember right they actually lay there eggs in the flower so you basically give them something that smells sweeter that then flower that that they cant resist and they get stuck to it or drown in.  The other thing is basically a sticky apple like one of those sticky fly traps (reusable thing that you coat with something).  Must be for a later pest.  They are not 100 percent effective but I know they sure help a lot.

Well anything that helps to reduce the pest is of great advantage to keep the trees strong enough to fight off problems. I got the info. from the place that the NEEM oil was purchased from that it can be mixed into a hand sprayer at 10/1 ratio as a good starting point to use for both pest and fungal issues.

[bee-nuts]

Huh!  No word back yet.  If I dont get a response I will call him Monday night but I think I will hear from him by tomorrow.  Ill let ya know.

[bee-nuts]

Well, I stoped over at his house minday and he said he was getting some likes together.  When he finally gets around to it Ill post it.

[Sparky]

 :mrgreen: COOL !

[philinacoma]

Our battle over apples is with codling moth. The grubs bore a hole into the fruit leaving a friz on the outside around the hole.

We try to protect the fruit very soon after the petels drop by putting a nylon foot stocking over them. I have seen these stockings at shoe stores when my wife has been shoe shopping. We buy boxes of 100 off the web and as long as you get them before the grubs do they are quite effective. It is also important to remove and dispose of any dropped or infested fruit.

[bee-nuts]

Sparky

I am sorry I even mentioned the natural methods.  I have still not heard back from my friend.  Im sure a internet search will provide you some help.   The moth grub from what I was told is laid in the developing fruit.  I was under the impression that it was in the flower.  You can tell when they are there because there will be black slimy stuff at the bottom of apple at the hole.  Pick these apples off and throw them away.  The fly maggot is laid on the apple and bores its way in.

[Sparky]

NO PROBLEM. The Neem oil looks like it is working well so far. I will use it for the rest of the season to see what the trees look like come spring next year to tell the story of how healthy the trees look.