Cherry pests and diseases: the fight against them

Sweet cherry is one of the most favorite plants of modern gardeners. However, it can also be threatened by various cherry pests and diseases, which we will describe in more detail in this article.

Cherry pests. Her illness

cherry pests

Today, these pests of sweet cherry are very dangerous not only to the sweet cherry, but also to the culture close to it - cherry. Colonies of insects, which spread very quickly, can destroy almost the entire crop in a short time, make the tree so exhausted that it will die.

Cherry weevil - These cherry pests are more dangerous in their adulthood, but the larvae are also dangerous. They feed on the juicy pulp of fruits, foliage and buds, taking all the nutrients from there, which leads to the fact that the tree simply dies out. There are several measures for dealing with cherry weevil:

- manually collect all insects, destroy all leaves and fruits, buds that have been affected by the pest, so that the fungus does not spread to other, still healthy parts of the plant;
- the tree must be immediately sprayed with a prepared decoction, which includes tomato tops, or with a decoction of wormwood, which is also extremely effective in such an emergency fight against a pest;
- hang bait-traps on the tree, into which insects will climb, and where they will gradually die due to the lack of useful nutrients and lack of access to the tree itself and its nutritious parts.

The cherry slug sawfly is a pest that mainly feeds on the pulp found in the deciduous part. Adults can skeletonize leaves, and they gradually turn into dry tubes that fall off very quickly. This affects not only the general condition of the plant itself, but also its appearance. If we talk about control measures, then experienced gardeners recommend either in July or at the very beginning of August to process the cherry tree with drugs such as Decis, Iskra-M, and Karate. They have already established themselves in the market, and therefore are not only the most effective, but also relatively inexpensive drugs.

The cherry aphid is a small insect that mainly lives on the inside of the leaves. It feeds on the pulp and juice contained in the leaves, thereby taking nutrients and useful components from the plant. The defeat of aphids leads to the fact that the leaf gradually dries up, and then completely falls off. If the colonies of aphids are not found in time, then they can destroy the entire tree irrevocably. Control measures include treating the tree with a decoction, which includes the roots and leaves of dandelions, tobacco and marigolds, as well as tomato tops. Also, after the cherry has faded, after about 12-14 days, you can spray the crown and trunk with a soapy solution containing ash. If we talk not about folk, but about more professional means, then such effective drugs as Inta-Vir, Decis, Iskra are best suited. In general, they are universal, and they can be used in the fight against many pests that settle on cherries.

Ringed silkworm and hawthorn - caterpillars have a very negative effect on the tree, they feed on buds and leaves. If you do not notice the pests in time and allow them to multiply, then this as a result can simply destroy the tree. Measures to combat hawthorn and silkworm are as follows:

- to collect pests by hand in a timely manner and destroy them using various folk methods;
- bait traps can be placed on the crown of a tree, but this is mainly suitable for older and more advanced individuals;
- drugs against caterpillars and butterflies, which are very popular, and also have huge effective properties - these are Zolo, Karatzh, Decis and Entobacterin.

Cherry pests and control

cherry pests and control

In addition to pests, there are also several diseases that also affect cherry plants, leading to their increased incidence and, as a result, death. More often than not, the most common cause of disease is that the grower does not provide the trees with proper care. There are also infectious viral diseases that a tree gets from weeds or plant sediments that are concentrated in the soil. These residues and weeds contain a huge number of pathogenic microorganisms that provoke the development of various diseases, worsening the general condition of the plant, its appearance.

Brown spot is the first disease that I would like to talk about in more detail. It manifests itself in the form of small dark spots, which are separated by a white border. On the surface of the spots, small black dots can be discerned - these are the spores of the fungus that infect the plant. If the fungus is not identified in time, the leaves will begin to dry out and fall off. Also, sometimes the affected part falls off, and through holes are formed inside the leaves. To treat the disease, it is necessary to treat the tree with a three percent solution of Bordeaux liquid. There are also several measures to prevent this disease:

- the gardener should take time to timely remove leaves that have already been affected by the fungus so that it does not continue to spread;
- the affected structures of the cherry tree must be disinfected, and also treated with such a tool as Garden Var;
- when a gardener is just picking up seedlings, he should choose varieties that will be more resistant to various bacteria and diseases.

How to process cherries from pests

how to process cherries from pests

Rust - It appears as raised, dark brown formations, which can also be dark red in color, which is reminiscent of rust. The cause of this disease lies in the actively spreading pathogenic fungus, which, even in the shortest possible time, can infect the entire tree, which will lead to its death. Such consequences can be prevented if the tree needs treatment and care in time. If there is no treatment, then such rusty spots will very quickly spread from diseased trees to healthy ones. This is most often the reason for the lack of fruiting, as well as slowing down the development of the tree. To treat rust, you can use the following measures:

- before the plant passes into the flowering stage, you can treat it with a composition that includes copper oxychloride;
- after the gardener has harvested the entire crop, it is best to spray the deciduous part and the trunk with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid, this will also be one of the most effective means to combat fungus such as rust.

As for preventive measures to combat rust, they include the timely detection and removal of affected tree structures - leaves, branches, parts of the bark; branches that have broken or fallen off, it is best to burn them and not leave them on the ground, as the fungus through the soil can return to the cherry tree and begin to infect it again.

Moniliosis is a disease that has another name in common use - gray rot.With the development of this disease, you can notice that the surface of the branches, fruits, and also leaves - all of them are covered with a gray air bloom, which contains the fungi of this disease. The fruits gradually begin to rot, the branches acquire a dark color, in general, the tree looks extremely painful, and it is easy to guess that it is affected by some kind of fungal disease. There are two main steps to organizing treatment:

- before the tree enters the stage of its flowering, the soil and the tree itself must be treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid, and in general this remedy is excellent for the treatment of various diseases;
- after the flowering period is over, repeat the treatment with the same solution in order to consolidate and maintain the effect.

Also, some experienced gardeners offer several ways to prevent this disease. First, immediately after the diseased structure of the tree has been removed, it should be burned without preserving it on the site. Secondly, it is necessary to timely process the plant from insects and pests, which are carriers of dangerous diseases and fungi. Also, after harvesting, only those fruits should be stored that are distinguished by their integrity and strength, otherwise the fungus will develop right inside them, spreading to healthy fruits. Do not allow fruits or berries to remain on the tree after harvesting, the fungus takes root on them very quickly. When the late autumn period comes, it is best to whitewash the tree.

Thus, we can summarize and say that cherry trees can be exposed to various diseases and pests. It is necessary from a very early period to identify the disease, to carry out prophylaxis and therapy of the affected tree in order to prevent its gradual death. Also, insects are carriers of dangerous diseases, viruses and fungi, therefore, the plant should be simultaneously treated against the pest and against the disease itself. Only in this case, comprehensive therapy will actually be effective, and will allow you to extend the life of the plant, increase its yield.