Stop Pests From Eating Their Way Into Your Fruit Trees With This Organic Solution

When it comes to planting fruit-bearing trees around your home, few moments are more exciting than your first real harvest. After months — or even years — of watering, pruning, and waiting, you finally get to enjoy the tangible fruits of your labor. Unfortunately, you may not be the only one eyeing those delicious apples, lemons, or peaches. Fruit trees are magnets for all sorts of pests and once they move in, they can do some serious damage. While you could reach for a pesticide or try a natural home remedy to keep pests off your fruit trees, there is an old-school, organic method that might be all you need to stop these critters from feasting on your fruit. It is the thrashing method, and it can be an effective way to manage pests that have found their way onto your fruit trees.

The method itself is simple. To start, you will want to lay down a large tarp or piece of cloth at the base of your tree. Grab the trunk of smaller trees and start to shake the entire plant. If your tree has a few thicker branches, you can use a padded stick to tap each section. The shaking motion, especially when used during the early morning, provides enough movement to knock pests out of your trees. You should start to notice that small pests like beetles or aphids will fall out of the fruit-bearing tree and onto the pre-positioned cloth. Once the insects stop falling from the trees, you can collect them from the tarp and safely dispose of them away from your garden.

The primary benefit of using the thrashing method on your fruit trees is that it is an entirely chemical and pesticide-free solution. For homeowners looking to start an organic garden, it keeps harmful — and potentially toxic — chemicals away from your fruits, ensuring that they do not end up in your body. There is no lasting residue to worry about, and it will not harm the pollinators that might be visiting your garden. It also offers an excellent opportunity to check in on your fruit-bearing trees, allowing you to track its progress each week. You will be more likely to identify signs of stress, disease, or ripening fruit that you might have otherwise missed. 

Like most organic gardening solutions, the thrashing method is not completely foolproof. For starters, it takes consistency to truly be effective, as one round simply will not eliminate the problem if the insects have already laid eggs on your tree. You should start shaking the trees as soon as they begin to bear fruit for the best results. However, this can increase the risk of knocking off premature fruit as well as damaging any delicate limbs that are still growing. Additionally, it is not a permanent fix for your pest problem. The method itself does not deter insects from returning to your garden, and if it is done improperly, may just make the insects fly off the trees. It might be best to combine this method with other pest preventative strategies like proper pruning, removing fallen fruit, and encouraging natural predators around your garden.