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They are a real plague on crops and ornamental plants: aphids don't stop at medlars either. If the wood has been infested, quick action is required. Simple measures help to get rid of the plague.
Aphids like to eat the medlar
harmful pictures
Aphids are pests that feed on the sap of the medlar plant. They pierce the veins of the leaves with their proboscis and extract the sap from the plant. At the same time, they inject saliva into the plant, which leads to unsightly discoloration on the leaves. The pests can be seen with the naked eye on mostly young shoots and leaves. They only use part of the juice they take in and discard the excess rest. A sticky coating forms. This so-called honeydew offers fungal spores an ideal breeding ground.
In summer, flying generations develop that can attack other plants. If the infestation is severe, the discoloration on the leaves can spread. The foliage dries up and curls up. Buds dry out due to the lack of plant sap and fall off.
combat
If the plant is not yet heavily infested, you can collect the aphids by hand. Another observation is important, because the lice reproduce asexually. If a pest has been overlooked, it can quickly produce new offspring. Fight a stronger infestation with a solution of rapeseed oil and soft soap (44.90€) with which you spray the plant.
To inhibit aphid proliferation, consider spraying the plant early in the morning with a mixture of neem oil, water, and an emulsifier such as Rimulgan. The oil is an ecological and non-toxic alternative. Its ingredients intervene in the pests' metabolism and interrupt the formation of chitin. As a result, the exoskeleton that supports the insects cannot fully develop. Subsequent generations have no chance of survival.
prevention
Aphids prefer to settle on weakened and diseased plants. You can protect your photinia from infestation in advance. Give the shrub a broth of stinging nettles, field horsetail or tansy regularly with the irrigation water. This supports the health of the plant and makes it more robust against pest infestation.
Other preventive measures:
- Promote beneficial insects such as ladybugs
- Plant perennials with essential oils like lavender
- realize mixed cultures
- fertilize with nitrogen for a short time