I found that the terminal leaves on many of my trees have died. Unfortunately those new shoots have stopped growing. Is this a bug, and how do I get rid of it.
Thank you
I’ve had the same issue and was told it is a borer: If there is sap and frass that is. I’ve been spraying with BT.
which bt?
Not sure it just looks as if the leaves have died and on some part of the stem also turned black.
Bacillus Thuringiensis
subspecies Thuringiensis kills corn borers
Subspecies kurstaki kills moths cabbage lobbers tomato hormworm
subspecies israelensis Kills Mosquitos and blackflies. its what in the Mosquito dunks.
subspecies san diego and tenebrionis iill some leafeaters like Colorado potato beetle
From the photo looks like its kurstaki
In this case should I cut back all the terminals that have died?
It’s OFM, Oriental fruit moth, in the eastern part of the country or PTB, peach twig borer, in the western half of the country. I have a lot of PTB but it’s really a cosmetic issue. My peach and nectarine grow so many shoots that the loss doesn’t affect the crop. Maybe 10% of shoots affected. And those affected just sprout more shoots.
OFM does also attack the fruit. That’s not cosmetic. PTB hasn’t affected my fruit that I can remember.
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In the east coast, OFM has several generations in one growing season.
I think @scottfsmith in MD said he has two. I swear I have more than 2 generations as I have seen those classic flagging shoots into Oct.
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We have 3-4 per year.
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I’d say at least 4, if not 5. Here in CT, I think I had 4 last year. So far, this year I had 2.
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I believe my area gets usually 4-5 generations of OFM.
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It’s hard to count exactly as the generations blur into each other. I did try to count a long time ago but don’t remember where it ended up… it could have been five. All you really need to know is by August they will be constantly hatching so the generation is practically irrelevant for spray timing.
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Alright thank you guys
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Should I cut the tips of the shoots that have the necrosis?
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This might be the year where I get some fruit! In the past two years I’ve had borers on the tips of all my trees, and while it is a cosmetic issue, I sprayed probably twice. However, now that I might have fruit, should I spray right now that there are flowers or after they have set?
Watch the fruit and see it the insects are attacking it. If it’s peach twig borers they won’t attack the fruit. If it’s Oriental fruit moth then you may need to spray the fruit.