Griz wrote:

I used a cotton bud soaked in methylated spirit to dab the fluffy bits
making sure the aphids inside where soaked. You could use anything alcohol
based: surgical spirit, vodka etc)

I have a fairly large ornamental crab apple tree which is
suffering badly from woolly aphid.

During the last two winters winter I sprayed tar oil wash on
those bits I could easily reach, without killing my neighbour's
plants.

Last summer I tried simply washing them off with water - no
effect. I followed this with a washing up liquid solution, which
was more effective, but it must have been too strong, and the
leaves which had not already succumbed all dropped off.

This spring things started well, and I was optimistic, but they
are now back again. The tree is looking rather shabby, and there
are lots of cankers, and it is really too big to attempt a
complete spraying.

My inclination is to give up the fight and look for a snake-bark
Acer to replace it.

Meanwhile, in another part of the garden, the cottony scale that
I though the tar oil had seen off is back as well :-(

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.