Q. I have a peach tree planted in 1998 with the bark
lifting from the trunk easily. My gardener doesn’t know what this is or how to
treat it. Can this tree be saved?
lifting from the trunk easily. My gardener doesn’t know what this is or how to
treat it. Can this tree be saved?
A. This is borer damage to your peach tree and is the
usual reason for their death at an early age. The damage is done by an immature
stage of a beetle. Some people called them “worms” but they are properly
called larvae.
usual reason for their death at an early age. The damage is done by an immature
stage of a beetle. Some people called them “worms” but they are properly
called larvae.
The adult female beetle flies
looking for a mate during the spring and summer months. Once she mates than she
lays eggs on many different kinds of trees including fruit and many landscape
trees and shrubs.
looking for a mate during the spring and summer months. Once she mates than she
lays eggs on many different kinds of trees including fruit and many landscape
trees and shrubs.
It appears she is attracted to
trees damaged by a lack of water or intense sunlight on the limbs. Reducing
damage to the tree because of intense sunlight is thought reduce damage by
boring insects.
trees damaged by a lack of water or intense sunlight on the limbs. Reducing
damage to the tree because of intense sunlight is thought reduce damage by
boring insects.
This is done by “whitewashing” limbs, particularly on the upper
surface, with a mixture of white latex paint and water in a 50/50 mix.
Whitewashing these limbs reduce,
but do not eliminate , damage created by intense sunlight. If you look closely
you will see most of the damage is either on the upper surfaces of these limbs
or on the sides of limbs that are facing south or west. These directions are
where the most intense sunlight comes from.
but do not eliminate , damage created by intense sunlight. If you look closely
you will see most of the damage is either on the upper surfaces of these limbs
or on the sides of limbs that are facing south or west. These directions are
where the most intense sunlight comes from.
When pruning peach trees in
particular, which seem to be very susceptible, try not to prune so much out of
the tree that it lacks the shade needed to protect the limbs from intense
sunlight. Here are a couple of postings on my blog.
Trees that get borers sometimes go into a death spiral;
borers continued to attack these limbs or more limbs, limbs die and open the
canopy for more intense sunlight which causes more damage which attracts more
borers.
borers continued to attack these limbs or more limbs, limbs die and open the
canopy for more intense sunlight which causes more damage which attracts more
borers.
There are no safe insecticides or chemicals that you can apply to these
trees to cure the problem. The best approach I have found is removing the
damage from the trees with a very sharp knife and let the tree heal on its own.