Apple borers and how to control them

General Fruit Growing
21

Bob, I used chips this time because that’s what I had; last time on the small plum I used a combination from the chainsaw and the shop. Here’s a link to that post that describes the original info I had. I really don’t know if this is better than leaving it out in the open, which is usually my preference. https://growingfruit.org/t/surprise-girdle-recovery/23850

I also don’t know just what ingredients in Fedco’s formula does the trick. The combination I’m using has all parts - oil/quick lime/milk/clay/water. It does seem to make a pretty good barrier - doesn’t wash off after it’s dried. I wish you the best with your trees! Hopefully they will recover once the borers are removed. Sue

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Well, I never found any borers with my wire pokings into various holes. The only thing is see crawling around the base of the trees are some kind of black ants, some can be seen carrying out the frass, but whether they’re doing the boring, I don’t know. I clean away the frass, and was seeing new material almost every day.

We have a problem with carpenter ants in other places, they’re black and bore into wood, but don’t eat it like termites. I’m wondering if that’s what these are. I gave my tree bases a drench of spinosad with Turbo sticker, and haven’t see any frass. So, we’ll see how long that lasts.