Conditions in our extremities favor several fungal diseases that threaten the health of plums. One of such ailments is the plum thistle, which can do far-reaching damage wherever prevention and care of trees are neglected.
Plums are the trees that are most often attacked by the fungus known under the official name Taphrina prune. It doesn’t take much to be able to do real damage to them. All she needs is her ideal climate, a little moisture and worse care of the tree, which she chooses as a place suitable for tanning. However, as it is not very inconspicuous and makes itself known at an early stage, gardeners can use it using proven methods to dispose of it fairly quickly.
Plum Thistle: The whole life cycle of the prune beetle
When treating the disease and preventing its recurrence, we need to know how the prune farm develops, respectively. where and when he attacks. The key to getting these answers is its life cycle. It begins after reproduction, after which the ascospores survive the winter in the holes on the branches or in the bark of the tree. In the spring, they begin to germinate and gradually attack the flowers, and later the fruits, which completely devalue them. In the form of mycelium or so-called blastopore will then survive another winter to launch another counterattack after its sounding.
In what conditions does this mushroom thrive?
The plum grove needs ideal conditions for the smooth running of the entire cycle. Without them, the fungus cannot reproduce and effectively attack flowers or fruits. It feels best in a humid environment, ideally in higher to foothill areas, where there is more precipitation and night temperatures in the spring are around 10 to 12 ° C. If a more susceptible plum variety is added to this, the conditions for the rapid spread of the disease are perfect. The fungus can thus start attacking immediately after the flowering of the tree.
Plum Thistle: Where and how does the plum conch manifest itself?
Plum Thistle: What damage does the disease usually do?
Copper spray is best for treatment
We can prevent the far-reaching damage that the plum thistle can do. Unlike other diseases, the fungus is not deadly. However, it will be important to catch the disease in time when we can still cure it. But we do not have many options to choose from.
In addition to the removal of damaged parts of the tree, we can bet on the application of a spray, the composition of which consists of copper hydroxide, resp. copper oxychloride. Preparations with such substances are authorized chemical products that can be officially used in the disposal of various types of fungi.
We will protect the tree with suitable prevention
Tree disease may not occur if we take care of regular prevention. The protection of wood requires a few steps, which are quite effective, or significantly reduce damage to the tree after attack by a beetle.
5 tips for preventing a grimace
1. Cultivation of less susceptible varieties.
2. Removal of damaged branches.
3. Removal of fruits in a worse condition.
4. Adherence to proper tree nutrition.
5. Regular healing cut before winter.
Like other diseases of plums, prune beetle can torment other types of fruit trees. He also often attacks apricots, peaches and cherries, which do the same damage as plums. The same effective methods of treatment and subsequent prevention apply to these trees as well.