Looking for some ideas!

We have down the centre line of our big polytunnel an Apricot a couple
of peaches and a nectarine, they have become lagged in scale (soft I think)

I cant use insecticide because we eat the fruit, I have been using a
vegetable oil based winter wash which clearly hasn't been doing the job.
We also can't use a Jeyes fluid type winter wash as the polytunnel is
our growing on place for clematis.

Intention is at some point soon to cut out the worse affected branches
and shoots and manually scrub what remains - but is there an
easier/better way to go about it?

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 09/06/2021 07:14, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 8 Jun 2021 22:54:42 +0100, Charlie Pridham
wrote:

Looking for some ideas!

We have down the centre line of our big polytunnel an Apricot a couple
of peaches and a nectarine, they have become lagged in scale (soft I think)

I cant use insecticide because we eat the fruit, I have been using a
vegetable oil based winter wash which clearly hasn't been doing the job.
We also can't use a Jeyes fluid type winter wash as the polytunnel is
our growing on place for clematis.

Intention is at some point soon to cut out the worse affected branches
and shoots and manually scrub what remains - but is there an
easier/better way to go about it?

You've probably been down this road, but in case there's anything you
missed:

Insecticidal soft soap? Not sure what 'insecticidal' implies.
Biological control can be used, with a nematode, apparently.
https://tinyurl.com/y6g9v7my
Other natural predators discussed here
https://bugsforbugs.com.au/whats-you...scale-insects/

Limonene is said to be generally effective
https://tinyurl.com/n3jr5wf8 or make up your own
https://tinyurl.com/ryrwenxf
or perhaps just eat lots of oranges and liquidise the peel.


Thanks for that Chris, I like the sound of the Nematode solution so may
well after an initial removal of the worst from the trees use that and
see whether its worth doing each year. I dont expect to get rid of it
but just regaining control would be good!

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 08/06/2021 22:54, Charlie Pridham wrote:
Looking for some ideas!

We have down the centre line of our big polytunnel an Apricot a couple
of peaches and a nectarine, they have become lagged in scale (soft I think)

I cant use insecticide because we eat the fruit, I have been using a
vegetable oil based winter wash which clearly hasn't been doing the job.
We also can't use a Jeyes fluid type winter wash as the polytunnel is
our growing on place for clematis.

Intention is at some point soon to cut out the worse affected branches
and shoots and manually scrub what remains - but is there an
easier/better way to go about it?

Some webpages suggest neem oil (azadirachtin) which appears to be
approved for use in the UK for crop protection. No idea if it's ok to
use on stone fruit, though.

I gave up trying to grow citrus in the conservatory because of scale
insect.

--

Jeff

On 8 Jun 2021 22:54, Charlie Pridham wrote:
Looking for some ideas!

We have down the centre line of our big polytunnel an Apricot a couple
of peaches and a nectarine, they have become lagged in scale (soft I think)

I cant use insecticide because we eat the fruit, I have been using a
vegetable oil based winter wash which clearly hasn't been doing the job.
We also can't use a Jeyes fluid type winter wash as the polytunnel is
our growing on place for clematis.

Intention is at some point soon to cut out the worse affected branches
and shoots and manually scrub what remains - but is there an
easier/better way to go about it?


Suffer with Scale on our citrus trees and I found a sprayer filled with
Soft Soap solution or even washing up liquid pumped up as high as
possible blasts them off. Yes I do have to go down each branch and
leaf and I do get wet but it works.

--
Regards.
Bob Hobden