Vitax 500ml Winter Tree Wash

Product Information

Made from a blend of natural plant and fish oils, this winter tree wash is formulated to remove debris and dirt from trees to help protect against overwintering pests. Some aphids, for example woolly aphid, and brown peach aphid, do not have a summer host and instead remain on fruit trees throughout the year. Some pests will overwinter in leaf litter or in the soil around your fruit trees so they can be near to their food source when spring comes around. Good garden hygiene is the answer. Rake up all fallen leaves and compost them away from your trees to foil pests such as apple blossom weevil, which can destroy flowers and ruin your fruit crop. You are spraying bare branches so you need to apply sufficient spray to ensure that it runs down all the branches, into crevices and joints – to reach overwintering pests and fungal spores.

In glasshouses it is possible to use glasshouse fumigants. Glasshouse should be sealed and instructions on the product label must be followed. Products based on the synthetic pyrethroid permethrin are available as DeadFast Greenhouse Smoke Generator, DeadFast Greenhouse Smoke Fumigator.That might mean end of February in the south; I would suggest mid-March in these parts, any later and you might harm emergent buds. Further information on the biology of fruit aphids is available from Influential points at the links below Today, in the UK, Bordeaux mixture is illegal. A replacement is made by VITAX, which is now the only firm in the UK manufacturing a winter fruit tree wash. The Vitax replacement is legal and effective. It is based on natural plant and fish oils, and it works by physical means: in other words, it can be used on edible crops, because it is non-toxic and is suitable for organic growing. It should be applied in dry conditions during the trees’ dormant period. Organic gardeners can protect trees and bushes with Winter Tree Wash – a completely natural organic product – which gives plants a good clean ready for the new season. The tree should be washed by starting from the top and working your way down. Gently scrub the bark and branches with the brush or cloth, paying attention to areas where dirt has built up. If you spot any pests, make sure you’re applying a trusted winter wash formula.

Encourage aphid predators in the garden, such as ladybirds, ground beetles, hoverflies, parasitoid wasps and earwigs. Be aware that in spring aphid populations often build up before natural enemies are active in sufficient numbers and then give good control Not all moths fly, which is why glue bands and tree barrier glues are very effective measures against destructive caterpillars. The caterpillars of winter moth are often the culprit behind holey leaves on plums, apples and other trees in spring. They will also damage developing fruits, so that they either drop while still immature, or grow misshapen, scarred and sometimes holed. Caterpillar damage can be avoided by using glue bands Gather your materials: You will need a water hose, a sprayer or a garden sprayer, a solution of water and horticultural oil Vitax winter wash or Jeyes Fluid, and a ladder if your tree is tall. Winter washing can be an effective way to rid yourself of overwintering pests and fungal spores on fruit trees. It is possible to find ‘organic’ solutions for this purpose. But in an organic garden, winter washing is not necessarily a good idea. The time is ripe for garden enthusiasts to protect trees and bushes from insects and aphids looking for prime spots to lay their eggs this winter. To help prepare for the harsh months ahead, Vitax has developed three products to keep insects at bay. Winter Tree Wash, Fruit Tree Grease and Tree Bands have each been created to ensure trees remain in tip-top condition during the colder months.The first step is to use a jet of water to dislodge aphid eggs. If this isn’t successful, try an organic winter wash based on plant or fish oils. It will destroy aphid eggs and other overwintering pests. For it to be effective, a winter wash needs to be applied in early winter, after the leaves have dropped, and again in spring before the trees burst into growth.