It seems that pests are always one step ahead: fruits grown with love turn into a breeding ground for worms.
But there is a way to outsmart insects using something that often goes in the trash. We are not talking about expensive preparations, but about simple corrugated cardboard.
Caterpillars, codling moths and beetles are looking for cozy places to spend the winter or lay eggs. Corrugated cardboard, fixed to the trunk, becomes an ideal trap: insects crawl into its folds, mistaking them for a safe haven.
All that remains for the gardener to do is remove the strips and destroy the pests.
The method does not harm beneficial insects if the traps are checked in time, and completely eliminates toxins.
Any corrugated cardboard will do for the job, for example, from old boxes. A strip 15–20 cm wide is wrapped around the trunk at a height of 50 cm from the ground, securing it with twine.
It is important to make two layers to create more "hiding places" for pests. Young trees with smooth bark are ideal candidates: on older trunks, insects often hide in cracks.
Cardboard strips are installed twice a year: in May-June to intercept summer pests, and in September - before wintering.
Every 10-14 days the traps are checked: if insects have accumulated inside, the cardboard is burned or disposed of, replacing it with new one. Any ladybugs or lacewings that accidentally get caught are carefully released back into the garden.
This method does not require financial costs, but it does require discipline.
But those who follow the rules pick apples, pears and plums without wormholes, and at the same time take a step towards environmentally friendly gardening.
Try it and the pests will be left with nothing, or rather, cardboard.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya