Natural Remedies for Bugs Eating Apples Tree Leaves

General Controls

• Before planting apple trees, identify which apple pests are common in your region and which of these are the most resistant to those pests. Once they are planted, provide apple trees with the water and nutrients the nursery recommends. Don't over-fertilize, which causes unnaturally fast growth that makes trees less hearty, and therefore vulnerable to pests.

  If Japanese or green June beetles are a problem in your area, avoid fertilizing with chicken litter, which attracts the leaf-eating pests. Finally, encourage beneficial insects and reptiles by growing flowers such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium, thriving in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 9, and catnip (Nepeta cataria, harding USDA zones 3 to 7, near your orchard, as well as providing shallow bowls of water, hedge windbreaks, rock piles and over-turned pots. All of these provide the shelter, hydration and food sources that the predators of apple tree pests seek.

Nest Removal

• The fall webworm and other caterpillars create nests in apple trees by weaving webs between branches, eating leaves as they enlarge their nests. Leafroller insects make smaller nests around leaves that they push together, while also feeding on leaves, buds and fruit. Hand-removal and destruction of nests and the affected branch sections is often all it takes to control caterpillars and leafrollers naturally and effectively.

  Scales, another pest of apple tree leaves, look like clusters of bumps on the underside of branches and leaves. If the infestation is restricted to one section of your apple tree, prune away the infested leaves and branches. When you are done pruning, brush away webbing and other debris from your pruners, and wipe the pruner blades with isopropyl alcohol or household disinfectant spray. Dry the blades with a clean cloth before storing them.

Hose Method

• Simply spraying a powerful jet of water on your apple tree leaves with a garden hose can prove surprisingly effective, especially on dwarf and semi-dwarf trees. Aphids and spider mites are among the pests of apple trees most likely to be removed with a hose. To determine if these pests are in your apple trees, look for wilting and yellowing of leaves, as well as the tiny insects themselves. Aphids also secrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which can lead to the disease known as sooty mold. Either the honeydew or the ash-like appearance of the disease are signs of aphid problems. Aside from knocking the mites and pests off leaves, water will also reduce the dry and dusty conditions that encourage spider mites.

Organic Sprays

• Homemade or store-bought organic sprays are another natural method for ridding your apple trees of pests. Neem oil, derived from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), controls a number of leaf eaters on apple trees, including aphids, mites, leafrollers, beetles. caterpillars and scales. Mix neem oil at a rate of 2 to 4 tablespoons per gallon unless your neem product label says otherwise. Apply the neem with an orchard sprayer, power washer, or if only spraying one or two dwarf apple trees, a clean spray bottle. Be sure to coat both the upper and lower surfaces of leaves. A homemade spray derived from hot peppers can also prove effective at deterring leaf-munchers such as aphids and beetles. Mix hot pepper and water in a blender, using 1/2 cup hot peppers per 2 cups water. Strain the liquid. A spray bottle is a common delivery system for these homemade sprays, but you can multiply the recipe if you need to treat a greater number of apple trees with an orchard sprayer. As with neem oil, coat both upper and lower surfaces of leaves.