North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["H.Dessureault" <inter.verbis@atreide.net>]

Phil,

I drove through the Blue Hill, Maine, last Fall and found the region to be very beautiful.

On the subject of borers, which is a new challenge in my case, I have observed that borers only seem to attack trees of a certain diameter. None of my trees of 1" in diameter and less are affected and none larger than let's say four inches. Maybe the larger tree's bark is too tough for the flat head borers to penetrate or the conditions under the bark are not favorable.

Did you notice also such preferences, or is it only accidental in my case?

The soft foam method that you described appear to serve the same purpose as the corrugated cardboard that I have described.

For myself, I find those methods to be too complicated, given the number of trees that I have to tend and the limited time that I have.

I am still inclined to cover the base of my trees with a lime and water type solution but to apply it earlier, at the beginning of August before the borer gets a chance to lay eggs for next year.

I have asked a friend who is very familiar with cement and stuccos substances to design a recipe for a solution that I could apply with a paint brush. It would consist basically of water, lime and/or white or regular cement and latex white paint. It would be applied thinly and would be solid but easily breakable, so that it would have to be reapplied yearly, but would prevent borers and other insects from being interested to lay eggs. It would also serve as a sunscreen over the winter. It is also very cheap and much easier and quicker.

I am definitely going to try it this year and I will keep you posted on the results.

Yesterday, I found another tree infested and this time the three borers had managed together to girdle the tree.

We shall overcome...

Thank you for your reply,

Hélène

----- Original Message -----

From: Phil Norris

To: nafex@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 9:11 PM

Subject: Re: [nafex] Orchards and borer attack

Helene,

I also have a serious borer problem just as you described.  One thing
that really works is to keep a two foot diameter of bare soil around
the tree.  Borers love to hide behind dense foliage and those white
plastic spirals.  They don't like it when they are exposed.  Doesn't
work 100% but it helps.

A nurseryman friend has come up with a pretty effective borer cage.
A collar of soft foam is wrapped around the trunk about a foot up.
Then a piece of screen about 15 inches wide is laid around the trunk
and stapled together tightly around the collar.  The lower edge is
buried in the soil.   The beauty of it is that the cage can expand
with the tree.

The method I personally use is a piece of piano wire and eternal vigilance.

Phil Norris
Blue Hill Maine
Z4

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