Vaseline on trees

PollyFlinders_3

Bear with me on this one!

Last year our Victoria Plum tree had an infestation of brown maggots which burrowed into the fruit and ruined it. I read that this was due to some insect that climbs up the tree and burrows into the fruit. Rather than spend money on greasebands, earlier this year I put a thick layer of vaseline around the trunk of the tree to try and trap anything climbing up. This year our plums were perfect.:j

My question is, will leaving the vaseline on the trunk cause any lasting problems? Should I scrub it off and replace it? Has anyone else tried this?

The_Wall

PollyFlinders do you know what the insect was called? I ask because I have a plum tree which had a similar problem, but I thought it was something called Plum maggot, which is laid by a moth. So I hung traps in the tree, since obviously a moth wouldn't need to climb the tree.

But the refills, which use a pheromone attractant are not cheap. So if vaseline works on the same insect I can use that instead.

To answer your question, I don't think it is a good idea to leave the vaseline on the tree. Also next year you should put the vaseline around the trunk in a different spot, either higher or lower than you did this year. Well that's the advice given for tree grease anyway.

PollyFlinders_3

Thanks The_wall.. I'll scrub off the vaseline and put it elsewhere next year.

We are guessing that we're dealing with the wingless winter moth, which apparently climbs up the trunk around November, then lays its eggs in the branches (and, we are guessing here, some of these will be laid inside the new fruit buds, hence the brown gunk inside the plums). The BBC gardeners world website mentioned to attach greasebands in July/August.

To be honest, have no idea if it was the vaseline that did the trick or if we were just lucky but will try again next year with the vaseline!

Thanks again.