Vitax 500ml Winter Tree Wash

Product Information

Make sure to provide overwintering habitats so that predators are on hand to step in when pests begin to become a nuisance next year – piles of stones or twigs, hedges and hollow standing plant stems all make great habitats, or you can make a bug hotel. Follow label instructions when using pesticides. On edible plants make sure the food plant is listed on the label and follow instructions on maximum number of applications, spray interval and harvest interval.

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. Pay attention to the weather: Make sure to apply the winter wash when the temperature is above freezing and the tree is dormant. Applying the solution when it is too cold can damage the tree.Choose fine wire mesh if your trees are plagued by smaller rodents such as voles, and make sure there is a wide enough gap between the trunk and the mesh so that hungry muzzles can’t push through and reach the bark. Flex the mesh into a tube and secure it using cable ties or wire. Use a cane to keep the tree guard upright, and make sure the wire is pushed firmly into the soil with no gaps at ground level. You may be able to remove guards in summer if the rodent problem is limited to the winter months. 5. Encourage Pest Predators

Prune the tree: Remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches from the tree. This will help to prevent pests and diseases from overwintering on the tree.With a blend of surfactants and natural oils, it removes insect debris, dust and wax which insects use to secure their eggs. Suitable for use on evergreen plants, it removes contaminants from the leaf surface to increase light exposure and encourage photosynthesis. Once you’ve finished scrubbing the tree, rinse it with clean water, ensuring all excess debris has been removed from the base of the tree. Once the leaves have fallen from the tree and on a frost-free day apply a winter wash. Apply with a small sprayer as a jet so the winter wash runs down the stems killing all the over-wintering pest eggs and fungal spores. On fruit trees and shrubs. Overwintering aphid eggs can be destroyed by using a plant oil winter wash (organic e.g. Growing Success Winter Tree Wash). This can be used when the buds are fully dormant in November-early February on a dry frost-free day. Plant oil winter washes are less likely to be detrimental to natural enemies and can mean that spring sprays are unnecessary

Loosen cap and squeeze gently to fill the measuring chamber. Mix 50ml per litre of water and apply as a fine spray, thoroughly covering all bark surfaces including the crooks of branches or stems where pests may harbour. The RHS believes that avoiding pests, diseases and weeds by good practice in cultivation methods, cultivar selection, garden hygiene and encouraging or introducing natural enemies, should be the first line of control. If chemical controls are used, they should be used only in a minimal and highly targeted manner. Little can be done to deal with aphids on tall trees as treatment is only likely to be successful if the entire plant is sprayed 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. This natural, plant oil-based treatment is highly effective at dramatically reducing pest numbers. It is safe around pets and children, and by applying it at this time of year it will have minimal impact on other wildlife. Spray it directly onto the bark on a still, windless day, covering all of the branchwork to leave no escape. Don't forget to wear a mask and gloves to protect yourself from drifting spray. Gently scrub the bark and branches with the brush or cloth, paying close attention to areas where you can see a lot of dirt or debris

Safe alternatives

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.

General pruning basics for apple trees– best carried out in late winter early spring before flowering and the spring leaf break. There are a number of jobs that you should do over winter when it comes to fruit trees. The dormant winter phase is the time to plant new fruit trees. It is also the time to prune a number of different species. Apples, for example, should be pruned over the winter months. Winter washing your fruit trees is another job you might want to consider. But is it really the best solution? Read on to find out more. What is Winter Washing?

3. Expose Overwintering Insect Pests

Repeat the process: Repeat the process every two weeks or as necessary to ensure adequate coverage. 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. So what you’ll want to, is you want to spray the whole tree, so everything all the way up, but just pay particular attention to the little nooks and crannies in here. So this is where the eggs and all the other bugs will be hiding out. So just start at the bottom and work your way up giving it a good coverage. I remember a case where the problem was Woolly Aphid on young apple trees – the name says it all, if you spray lightly, the woolly covering will protect the beasties, they need to be washed out. The case I have in mind was dealt with slightly differently, using a paint brush to apply methylated spirits. A winter wash is something I always make a point of doing during the colder months. Here, I’ll take you through a step-by-step guide on how to winter wash trees, as well as some tips for managing different types of trees. How do I winter wash my trees?