Webs in my peach tree !!!

16 years ago

I have 2 or 3 small webs forming in one of my peach trees. I noticed a lot of the wild trees on the adjoining ranch property had webs last summer/fall(they may have been some of the wild plum I've seen blooming recently).

What do I need to do? I like using organic methods, but I'm not totally opposed to other ways.

Jill

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Comments (9)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7
16 years ago
Jill,

I'm running out the door, and could give a better answer if I had more time. These webworms are very common here at this time of year. There are several simple solutions.

If you want to spray, spray the trees with a Bt product labeled as a caterpillar-killer. Bt is an organic product, as it is a Bt that specifically targets butterfly and moth larvae. However, it will kill ALL butterflies and moths, so use it carefully.

If the webs are low to the ground and you can reach them, put on some gloves, grab a bucket of soapy water, and use your hands or a stick to pull them out of the tree, submerge them in water and drown them.

If the webs are further out on the branches, you can prune them out. If they are, however, in the interior of the tree on major branch crotches, you probably don't want to do that, as it might require you to sacrifice major branches.

If you have a lot of wild birds around, sometimes all you have to do is break open the web with a stick so the birds can get to the worms. (Although, of course, this is not a guaranteed fix, since the wild birds might not care for these particular caterpillars.)

If you want to go the chemical pesticide route, look for a product labeled for caterpillars and make sure it is also safe for use on fruit trees.

Good luck,

Dawn
scottokla
16 years ago
I removed a few of these webs over the weekend. They are on the wild fruit trees in April usually and can easily remove all the foliage on a small tree. Mine make a small tight web in the crotch of a branch during the day hours. I just use a stick to break it open and knock them out. That takes care or it.
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very_blessed_mom
Original Author
16 years ago
Okay, I removed them.

Thanks again -- Dawn & Scott !!!!
rjj1
16 years ago
I've also just used a broom or telescoping lopper to tear into the web and make a mess of it so birds can get at the caterpillars inside. Works pretty good.

randy
sheri_nwok
16 years ago
Does anybody have any ideas what type of amendments I should use on a Early Elberta peach tree, which I will be planting this week? Also, I wonder how far away from the house it should be planted, to avoid root problems? Thanks Sheri
Okiedawn OK Zone 7
16 years ago
Sheri,

I don't amend the soil where I plant fruit trees. In order to amend the soil enough to really make a difference, you'd have to amend a huge area. If you only amend a small area, the roots wil grow out of the area fairly fast, so why bother?

With a tree, it is best to just plant it into the native soil where it is going to have to grow for the rest of its' life.

Dawn
Okiedawn OK Zone 7
16 years ago
As soon as I posted the previous answer, I realized I'd only answered one of your questions.

My dad planted a peach tree about 4' from the garage once, and that was too close! I would try to put it 6' to 8' away as a minimum, although that is not always possible since you have to plant in the space available.

The closer it is to the house, the more you'll have to prune the side closest to the house so the tree doesn't rub against the house. If it is roots you're worried about, I've never seen peach tree roots cause foundation problems like the roots of some trees (like cottonwoods and silver maples) can.

Dawn
sheri_nwok
16 years ago
Dawn,

Ok, the roots is what I was most concerned about, I had no idea how larger they may grow. I will be in good shape then. Thanks Sheri
ilene_in_neok
16 years ago
There is a product called "Tanglefoot" that is effective against webworms if you act early enough in the spring. It comes in spray or in a can and is a substance that stays sticky for a long time. You "paint" a barrier on the trunk of your tree, about a foot up from the ground.

Webworm eggs are in the ground. They hatch and the hatchlings climb up the tree to begin their infestation. When you start seeing leaves being "sewn" together, you've waited too long to use Tanglefoot, though. I've never had a problem with webworms in my peach trees. But I have had them in the pecan trees and even lost one tree because I was too generous with insecticide spray. --Ilene