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How to treat borers in my apricot tree?

Afternoon,

I have an incredible old fashioned Moorpark apricot in the backyard, inherited with the purchase of our house. Recently I noticed ants on the branches and, on better inspection, 'wood dust' on the trunk.

In my gardening group, it has been suggested to use ant dust and plug the areas with vaseline, but I'm not too sure. Is there an alternative that I should be seeking? I don't think the ants are the true issue, they are just opportunistic.

Borer holes in the trunk

Tree is leafing alright, but fruit is starting to fall early. Cat did not fall from tree.

Thanks in advance,

TassieWren

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Comments

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @TassieWren. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about dealing with wood borer.

You've possibly got two issues going on here, the wood borer and something that is causing your fruit to drop early.

For the wood borer you might like to read through these previous posts as there is some great advice within them:

How to kill borer beetle in lemon tree? by @Em1

Can we save this tree from borer? by @samT1

Tree borers by @swanny

One of our gardening experts, @Adam_W, recommends using a piece of wire to skewer the borers within their holes. He then suggests that a Pyrethrum spray is effective at killing any that remain. Turn the nozzle to the jet function and flood out the holes.

Regarding the fruit dropping, it could be due to excessive moisture. However, apricots produce heaps of flowers and can never cope with that amount of fruit. If you have some busy bees and many of the flowers get pollinated and set fruit, the tree will drop the excessive fruit. If you have a tonne of fruit on the tree and it otherwise appears quite healthy, then this could be the reason for seeing them drop early.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Mitchell

TassieWren

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/24678#Comment_24678

Thank you Mitchell.

I've purchased the Yates Pyrethrum, after discussing with the team at my local Bunnings as well. I've given the area a spray, and will attack again on the weekend.

Would you recommend removing the bark around the area, exposing the area, or should I leave the bark on the tree?

Thanks,

Tassie Wren 🙂

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75009#Comment_75009

Hi @TassieWren,

Mitch will be back on the site tomorrow to assist you further. Let me tag the wonderful @Noelle to see if she could share some thoughts on whether you should remove the bark from the tree.

Jason

KatieC

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75009#Comment_75009

Hi @TassieWren,

I am pleased to read that @MitchellMc and your local Bunnings team have given some great advice already on the spray, Mitch will be back online tomorrow to assist with your second question about removing the bark around the area. Let me tag our garden experts @Noelle and @mich1972 to see if they have any advice in the meantime.

Might I mention your sweet cat is just adorable and very photogenic! Very glad they did not fall from the tree.

Katie

Noelle

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75009#Comment_75009

Hi @TassieWren

In my opinion, the bark should be left on the tree, to protect the underlying cambium layer (growth layer). The tree has suffered a major trauma with the borers damaging tissue, so further damage should be avoided. The bark acts like a scab, if you will, protecting the delicate tissue beneath.

As the tree heals by developing calluses over damaged areas, there may be some natural loss of bark. That's the tree's way of dealing with the issue, so best to leave nature to do its best.

TassieWren

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/101190#Comment_101190

Thank you all for your help on this. I will continue with the current program and will let you know how I go over the weekend.

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/117519#Comment_117519

Hi @TassieWren @Noelle

Wifes tale

Have you ever heard of or tried using a small copper nail into the tree basically the theory goes the copper taints to taste of the tree and makes it repellant to insects and borers. But this may taint fruit too. I once inserted (per drilling it) a strand of electrical wire into a rose main stem it seamed to clear afids but this is not proof of the concept.

AS a side note AS a bee keeper I used to use Copper Naphthenate Wood preserve against bores painted onto raw timber bee boxes before undercoating as it stops hive invaders (Small hive beetle from setting up home and other wood borer types) With out being deadly to bees who are very easy to kill with pest sprays.

Noelle

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/126991#Comment_126991

Hi @Jewelleryrescue , @TassieWren

A copper nail hammered into a tree might be an 'old wives' tale' but it is of long duration and there is something in it. The copper will aid mainly in the control of fungal diseases as it is a base ingredient of established fungicides such as Bordeaux Mixture and, of course, copper oxychloride (Cuprox).

The copper doesn't taint the timber or the fruits of trees - it isn't absorbed by plant tissues as far as I am aware. In fungal control, its presence on the surfaces of bark, leaves, etc is the deterrent.

I'm not sure of its effectiveness in insect control - copper naphthenate is a wood preservative but it's the naphthine that deters insects rather than the copper (IMO). The compound copper naphthenate is non-toxic or rather the least toxic of the wood treatments available.

TassieWren

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133268#Comment_133268

Afternoon @Noelle, @Jewelleryrescue, @MitchellMc, @Jason, @KatieC,

I've continued with the pyrethrin method today and while I am pleased to note that there hasn't been any fresh wood dust or evident new holes in the trunk of the tree, today when I sprayed the tree I disturbed an earwig nest. The ants are still around, but don't seem to be in as big a number as previously observed.

Keeping my fingers crossed that this is working. If not, where would you advise the best location for a copper nail? Would it be in a healthy area of the tree (in the trunk), or in an upper limb?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137148#Comment_137148

As I'm unfamiliar with the copper nail method @TassieWren, hopefully, @Noelle or @Jewelleryrescue might be able to provide their thoughts.

It's great to hear that the situation appears to be improving.

Mitchell

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139814#Comment_139814

Hi @TassieWren and All Cute Cat by the way wanting your attention under the tree.

According to the wives tale small nail would typically go in the lower main trunk 1/2 of the way in so you can find it to pull it at need. Nail depth equals dosage rate. Find a healthy bark area not scared as during the day and night the tree exchanges vitals between roots and the leaves via its sap dissolving small amounts of copper on the way. It is possible to over do it and put a large 30mm nail all the way in. Think of it as medicine a little is enough to much can hurt. The same as water for plants too little or too much can kill or save a tree. So watch your tree s for positive health take nail out if it is being hurt.

I am happy to be contradicted by some one with more tree / copper nail knowledge here. I went to the internet and there is no credible evidence to support a copper nail helping a tree or hurting the tree. But they are not including there observations looking at positive or effects against the pests and diseases of the tree which is what the nail is for. If we take a worm tablet a doctor wont see any changes in the person (ie the tree directly) but the worms will be gone.

Well quite the conundrum. @TassieWren maybe able to help test in real life scenario.

TassieWren

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137148#Comment_137148

Hi all (@Noelle, @Jewelleryrescue, @MitchellMc, @Jason, @KatieC),

In an interesting turn of events, the problem area of the apricot tree seems to be 'clear and clean' since spraying, however, a new problem has appeared 😭

What on earth do you think has happened to this section? It's only one centre branch, but I'm worried of it spreading.Clean and clear nowNot sure what is happening here!

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139816#Comment_139816

Hi @TassieWren

I am not a orchard type person so Listen to other with more direct knowledge. By grand father was an apple grower Victoria time like these i wish i listened more as a kid.

1 First trim that effected brand out to help prevent spread. It is not known to me why one branch has done this. Did you use copper nail? if this happens again pull nail out just in case and monitor.

2 Typically some fruit trees are pruned to an open vase shape to allow light to reach more of the leaves any how and it makes picking easier.

3 Limiting the quantity of fruit might improve the quality of the remaining fruit.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139816#Comment_139816

Hi @TassieWren,

I suspect that there's likely an issue going on with that larger central branch. Do all of those sickly-looking branches stem from it? Perhaps there is die-back in that larger branch or borers?

Mitchell

TassieWren

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/141655#Comment_141655

Hi @MitchellMc and @Jewelleryrescue

We'll be cutting out the piece that is dying off over the weekend.

I think the larger central branch you're referring to, with the borer holes, is actually the trunk. All that damage is approximately 30cm from the base of the tree.

I checked in with my parents, who have a little bit of stone fruit tree knowledge. To them, it sounds like our dear tree has developed Gummosis (bacterial canker). From research online, https://www.baag.com.au/gummosis/, it sounds like this is a disease common on mainland Aus and has found its way to Tasmania. Causes can be borers (identified), heavy pruning (had been done previous end of summer), and stress. It will eventually kill the tree, nothing can be done.

I'm going to try and enjoy my tree as much as I can before I must get rid of her completely. I'm hoping I can get another one or two seasons out of her.

Thanks for the advise, it has all been very helpful.

TassieWren

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/143042#Comment_143042

Hi @TassieWren

Try to think positive i just pruned back some dead branches on a rose bush . Hit it with gogo juice( a soil prebiotic) some rose fertilizer some seasoil plus (plant tonix)and the rode took off with a new flush of growth.

I cross fingers for you tree. Give it good stuff as a thanks.

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