Peach Borer treatments not working?

9 years ago

I'm out ideas and my local nursery hasn't called me back- I'm hoping you can help. I am a backyard peach tree grower, I just have one peach tree- a lemon alberta. I planted it in fall of 2015, we live in Farmington, Utah. I did a watered down white latex paint to protect the trunk for its first winter.

Last summer I saw evidence of what I thought was peach borer- trunk bark peeling, sap coming from my tree, and it causing big gauges in the trunk. However, i didnt see any borer activity in the base of the tree trunk. I took a picture to my local nursery and they told me by the pictures it was indeed peach borer. This was in august, and so I started with fertilome spinosad treatment that i would add to my Tree gator and fertilome neem oil spray for the rest of the season.

I wrapped the tree trunk for winter with a wrap and this year pulled off all the fruit (again) and when an agricultural email

came out about starting to spray for peach borer on June 1st I did. (I even sprayed twice before June 1st). I have been spraying with neem oil every 5-6 days since and have done 2 more systemic spinosad treatments this season so far (my first was in may). A third is happening today.

However, I feel like my tree is getting worse. There are more trenches developing in the trunk. These damages are about 2-3 feet up the trunk, there still isn't evidence of too much damage on the base of the trunk. But I feel like the damage is creeping up the tree and more sap is coming. However, besides the trunk, the tree is growing, its grown over a foot this season already, the leaves look healthy, i even had to pull 165 peaches off this year (tears). I don't want to lose this tree! Any advice?? Pictures attached from the last couple weeks.

Thank you so much, I hope someone can help!

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Comments (8)

rphcfb14
9 years ago
Have you used a wire like a coat hanger wire to stab into those holes to see if you can kill those borers and take them out?

What you have could be both peach borers at the base of the tree and twig borers higher up on the trunk and branches.

You need stronger chemical. Try Triazicide insecticide made by Spectracide. It is sold at Lowe's and Home Depot. Spray the trunk ( and branches if you have twig borers, too) and the soil area around the trunk
Regan Erickson
Original Author
9 years ago
I havent- does that work- digging them out with a coat hanger.... that sound totally gruesome . I don't see any damage on the branches, so I don't think I have twig borers.

Is the fertilome not good stuff? That's a drag if the nursery recommended second rate stuff..
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Regan Erickson
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I just scraped the areas with a coat hanger that would be holes but they aren't holes- just grooves in the trunk- I can't find any borer holes. Is it possible for secondary water spraying the tree from my sprinklers to he causing this? One of the areas is soft- almost soggy bark.
rphcfb14
9 years ago
Does your area have a Southwest injury issue?

Peach tree when stressed or injured, will ooze clear gel, too. Your tree somehow has sustained damage and is getting worse.

if a sprinkler does not hit the tree with full force, it should not cause such damage.
rayrose SC 8
9 years ago
Peach trees will ooze gel, when they are under stress. If you're SURE there are no borers, stress is the problem. It's usually caused by an over abundance of water, mostly caused by periods of excessive rain.
Regan Erickson
Original Author
9 years ago
Ok. I will keep treating for peach borer (I'll get some spectracide ). I suppose it could be over watering, I deep water it about every week and a half and the sprinklers run every other day for 20 min. It does get hit from about 8 feet away, and that is the "soggy side".
Greg
9 years ago
https://pestadvisories.usu.edu/2017/06/13/sjs/

For best results USU suggests using an insecticide that is permethrin based for peach tree borer, I think I read that it lasts longer then others. I was able to find some insecticide powder at CAL Ranch that is permethrin based for use on pets, fruits and vegetables. To use it I put on some rubber gloves and slap the powder onto the lower part of the trunk. Make sure to get it down below the soil line as well as leave a little on the dirt around the trunk. I just applied my first treatment yesterday and noticed 1 borer wound out of 4 trees. They are different types of trees but all are on Lovell root stock. This is a lot better then a few years ago when I only had 1 tree that had over half a dozen wounds on the trunk. Borers are a huge problem in Utah and will kill a tree. I know a lot of people that don't do anything for their peach trees and eventually they die usually form borers. Also south west injury is a big problem here too so if it isn't borers you should look into that. Good luck.
Regan Erickson
Original Author
9 years ago
i actually emailed the USU lady and she said it was actually winter scald damage- from over 2 years ago! It could have happened in the nursery (the injuries are not in the south west side of our tree- they are in the eastern, towards our mountains). winter scald can take years to fully show the damage- and It will take 3 years to properly heal probably for this tree, and she said the sap leaking is one sign that the tree is trying to heal. So we are continuing to water and wrap it every winter, and hope that it heals!