Pest control

Evening All! (did pc Dixon really say that?)
This year I have had a relatively small crop of fruit on my pear and Victoria plum tree, but the crop has been severely affected/eaten by the biggest hordes of Fruit flies and wasps I have ever experienced.
I have tried to "cut the odds" by taking split fruits and laying them out away from the trees to keep the pests away and to a degree this has worked.I initially sprayed the whole tree with a very diluted detergent/water mixture but when I noticed the leaf secretions off the plum tree attracted a flock of Goldfinches which fed off them I was loathe to put anything on which might put them off .
Has anyone any suggestions for next year if the same problem arises?
regards
Rockpebblar

 

Rock` it`s your choice. Plums or Goldfinches.:D

 

( I think you can eat both ).:thumb::D:D

 

Goldfinch & plum kebabs?
Tastier than Albatross on a Stick:D

Seriously though -
Get some wasp traps out as soon as the fruit starts to ripen, but not earlier as wasps eat MEAT i.e. fly larvae early in the year.
Are you sure your fruit is being eaten by fruit flies and it's not green/white fly as fruit flies seem to prefer fallen fruit. Our plum has been very badly infested with white fly this year and I found one of the best non-poisonous way of getting them off was by blasting them with water from a pressure sprayer.

 

Diatheplant...I am disgusted that you would even suggest eating one of the most beautiful birds in britain...The bones would almost certainly stick in your teeth!
DaveW...The flies are as big as a bluebottle and very aggresive! They even invade my aviary to search for fruit which I give to my own birds
I think the leaf secretions on the plum attract the whitefly which the Goldfinches feed on. would be a shame to stop them. Was told many years ago that soapy water was the answer to aphids and wondered if that could be used to stop "bigger" insects? The size of the wasps and bee's seem greater than normal this year or is it me shrinking with age?
regards
Rockpebblar

 

Not enough meat to justify the effort!

 

If the Goldfinches eat the aphids I will encourage them to visit, nature seems to give us a hand with controlling pests, I am inundated with slugs and snails this year also, and my garden has hundreds of baby toads in it (I think they are toads not frogs...asked the wife to kiss one to see if it turned into a handsome prince...but she said she has been kissing me for years and no such luck!)
Like the adage about conservatory but this is the nearest I can afford

and no...they are not bog plants in it!
regards
rockpebblar

 

You could try a garlic and red pepper spray it keeps most insects and mites away and wont harm the birds.

 

Thanks for that Walnut, sounds quite a volatile spray\1, might try making a batch next season
regards
rockpebblar

 

Rocky here is a formula I use, take one large unpeeled onion and one garlic chop them up add one heaped table spoon of red pepper(cayenne) add 3pints of water boil in a saucepan for 20mins on a low heat,let it cool down strain it into jars and lid it,you can keep it in th fridge for a month,when ready to use add one tablespoon to one pint of water spray it all over, you can add soap to this mix (not detergent)and if I am dealing with a specific pest I add a little neem oil.

 

thanks for that Walnut, had copied it onto my pc for future use
regards
rockpebblar