Felt cherry: diseases and treatment, pests and their control

Today, many Russian gardeners try to grow varieties of felt cherries on their own personal plots. The main difficulties arise from ignorance of the main dangers that threaten the plant. To eliminate the risk of death of a fruit tree from fungal microorganisms or pests, it is enough to learn about the main diseases of felt cherries and treatment features.

Major diseases

Felt culture is considered a variety resistant to various diseases characteristic of traditional species. Felt cherry diseases can be associated with fungal infection, pest invasion, or improper care conditions.You can determine the disease by the appearance of the plant, abnormal deviations in the development of fruits and green mass. Based on how the leaves curl, whether they are shedding or spots appear, a diagnosis is formed and specific actions are taken.

Coccomycosis

A fungal disease caused by a parasite that breeds on the leaves of a fruit tree Over time, the plates turn yellow, black dots appear on them, which leads to the fall of greenery. A feature of felt cherries is its resistance to this type of disease, but at the first sign of damage, immediate treatment with fungicides is required.

Pocket disease

Pathology occurs due to the action of the fungus, and it manifests itself in an unusual form of the ovary. After flowering, the berries are formed without a stone, and their shape resembles elongated pockets. It is in the soft sacs that the accumulation of the fungus is observed.Over time, the fruits dry up and turn into a source of infection. During the garden season, crop loss from pocket disease can be 1/5. In the absence of timely measures, the plant may die for the next season.

Moniliosis

Moniliosis is one of the diseases that most often affects cherry plantings. A putrefactive infection is first observed on mature fruits, gradually spreading to shoots and leaves.

Signs of a problem are the following symptoms:

• drying of inflorescences, their acquisition of a copper-brown hue;
• mummification of berries;
• signs of drying shoots.

The first signs of a fungal disease appear at the time of flowering. Spores penetrate deep into the plant over time, and the appearance of the affected areas resembles the effects of fire.The danger of the disease lies in its rapid spread, the ability to affect other types of fruit trees. The risk of moniliosis increases with heavy rainfall.

Pests

The number of cherry pests that can harm the plant and destroy the crop is quite large. They and their larvae feed on the pulp of the berries and damage the trunks, which leads to the appearance of gum. If left untreated, the plant may stop growing or die.

Shield

There are quite a few types of scale insects, but all of them have a distinctive feature in the form of a protective layer on the body, consisting of glued scaly formations of the larva. The size of the pest is no more than 5 mm, and it is difficult to detect foci at the initial stages of cherry damage, since outwardly it looks like an uneven bark. Insects multiply rapidly and quickly cover the surfaces of shoots and leaves. They secrete a special substance called honeydew, which is an ideal breeding ground for fungi.

When infected with a scab, yellow spots appear on the leaves, the plates curl and fall off. The wood begins to crack, thin and weak branches fall off. Cherry growth is slowed down, and signs of drying of the tree are observed. The risk of pests increases with the abuse of nitrogen-containing fertilizers, lack of light, lack of moisture.

Aphid

The presence of aphids can be determined visually, insects cover the lower part of the leaf plate and cause them to curl. Ants contribute to the appearance of the pest, therefore, special glue-based traps are used to prevent the problem. Some gardeners prefer folk remedies for pest control, others prefer preparations of the group of insecticides such as Iskra or Commander.

Leaflet

Butterfly caterpillars reach a size of 2 cm, have a brown or green color. During the spring period, they begin to actively bite into the buds and buds of felt cherries. The presence of a problem is easily identified by the twisted leaves of the plant.

Grape mite

The main delicacy of the grape mite is the juice of the plant. The color of the insect can be yellow, green or red. The first felt cherry pests appear on the underside of the leaves of the fruit tree. Plants suffering from drought or lack of fertilizer are most susceptible to infection. Pale yellow, silver or red specks appear on the leaves; white specks may be present if eggs are present. At advanced stages, white membranes are observed, with an excessively large number of mites, a cobweb is formed.

Prevention and treatment

To prevent disease and reduce the risk of pest invasion, it is important to follow the rules of planting and care.Cherries are rooted in sunny places where there is no problem of soil dampness and stagnant water, in which case the chance of reproduction of fungal diseases is minimized. In the spring, whitewashing of the trunks is carried out, and during the garden season, overgrowth is not allowed to spread. The tree needs to be pruned regularly to avoid excessive thickening.

Sick and affected branches are immediately removed and burned. Do the same with fallen leaves and ovaries.

Treatment of a fruit tree depends on the nature of the disease. To combat fungal infections, they are treated with fungicides, adhering to the instructions for use and safety precautions for working with drugs. A good preventive and therapeutic effect is provided by spraying the tree with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

From aphids, treating cherries with a solution based on ash, soap or tobacco helps well.To combat leafworms for prevention, plants are treated in the spring with Prophylactin, when the ambient temperature reaches +4 C. Leaves damaged by the pest must be removed and burned. After flowering, preparations of the pyrethroid group are used to fight - Ivanhoe, Accord, Fatrin.

Thyroid-infected trees can be quite difficult to heal, as the strong shell of an adult insect acts as a reliable defense and makes it difficult for chemicals to work.

Young larvae are destroyed with insecticides - Aktellik, Aktara. Remove adult pests mechanically, carefully scraping them off the surface of the tree. Large areas are completely removed, cut leaves and branches are burned. Places where scale insects are scattered are treated with soapy water.

When a grape mite is found on a tree, the tree is washed with a jet of water. Insects do not tolerate high humidity, and such actions will help get rid of them. A good effect in pest control is obtained by treating the plant with a soapy solution, which is washed or sprayed on the tree. In case of significant lesions, mechanical removal is carried out and insecticides are used, treating plantings after the formation of ovaries, but not less than 30 days before the planned harvest.

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