Wormy apples

[wamone]

We have and apple tree that produces super tasting apples but about half of them are wormy and the birds get to many before we start picking them. For the birds, I thought I'd get a fake owl to put in the vicinity to scare them off. What can I do about the worms?? The tree is in full bloom right now. Is there something that I can spray the tree with to eliminate the worms and not render the fruit uneatable?? In the past, I've just sprayed the tree with dishsoap/water mixture and I think it helped but not enough.
Thanks.
wamone

 

[John Paul McMillin]

wamone, do ya want to go organic or do you mind using synthetic chemicals? right now i would treat the trees with a copper spray to prevent fireblight. the synthetic chemicals used for "worms" on apples are astro or imidan, mixed with a fungicide and treated every 14 days starting at flower petal fall. a new organic material is called "surround " and is made from a light clay that inhibits the "worms " from getting to the apple ,i think gardens alive sells it. i am going to try it this year on my apple trees. also insecticidal soap and hort. oil are good organic materials for you to use. JPM