Closeup of damage to damson

Have you tried my Aphid treatment of garlic soaked in Warm water...See my Blog...it works...We were inundated with the little blighters early on, because of the intense heat, they were very active on most plants...a couple of good doses, and everything is back to normal again....

No I haven't. I have written it down and will try it next year. I will try not to spray myself at the same time or I will keep everybody away from me too!

:))))

Damson Pests & Diseases

Pests

Diseases

Birds- like to eat the developing buds which can decimate the crop. Protect smaller tree forms with netting or cotton

Aphids can cause leaves to curl or honeydew or mould to form on the fruit and leaves. There are chemicals available to combat aphids which can be bought at garden centres. Organic methods include spraying with diluted washing up liquid ( 1 teasp per 2 litres of water), companion planting of flowers such as marigolds nearby.

Sawfly - Small holes in the Damsons, often oozing a sticky black liquid. There are chemicals available to combat Damson sawfly which are usually sprayed in spring. Organic methods include turning the soil around the base of the tree with a trowel or hoe in late winter and early spring which exposes the over-wintering pupae for birds to eat.

Silver Leaf - Fungus causing the leaves to turn silver and finally brown and the infected branches to die back which have a brown or purple stain within the flesh. There is no chemical treatment. Cut away six inches past infected wood of the branches and burn. Preventative measures include not pruning during the winter/early spring, sealing larger pruning cuts on branches with a sealant. This can be a serious disease and if the main trunk of the tree is infected with fungus it may be necessary to remove and burn the whole tree.

Canker - Indicated by shallow depressions at the base of branches which get bigger in spring, . An amber like gum may also be present. Treatment consists of cutting back to good wood and painting the cut with canker paint . Spraying with a copper based fungicide in August, September and October will help protect the tree if canker is a known problem in the area

Hi Steragram...Hope things are improving for your Damson...
I copied this for you from BBC garden experts...hope it can help...

That is so kind of you Crissue, thank you so much for going to all that trouble. People have be so helpful. the damage is done for this year - it turned out to be aphids and suggestions (including yours) include sprays with diluted organic washing up liquid or tea made with garlic cloves and hot water, (definitely going to try that one)and the idea of spreading seaweed round the base in autumn - I have been down to the beach and got a boxful, which is spread out on the path for the rain to wash the salt out. Marigolds are a very good idea, but the damage occurred both this year and last before they would be planted out. I don't have much success with them actually - I planted some cream ones to go with my ageratums, but as usual they got attacked by something I can't find - suspect slugs but don't see any trails or dead bodies.

Anyway next year I will be on the lookout and try to catch the little blighters before they get a hold.
Thanks again
S:)

You're very welcome....:o)) This year has been very hot since April...and we were inundated with aphids, on most things..& not wanting to kill the lovely insects that help us in our gardens we switched from soapy water in a spray, which quite frankly, they ignored...to the garlic spray which after a couple of doses they cleared off....We did have to cut back on some plants, and take leaves and damaged bits away too...now all is peaceful again...and yippee we've had rain tooo....
It's soul destroying to see these pests eat away all the hard work and care...and sometimes overnight...so ,I've got my fingers crossed that all will be well in Damson Lane...:o)))

Oh so have I...noticed today that there are half a dozen little damsons turning red - last year we had two and a tiny one so things are looking up!

oh that's so good to hear...I'm pleased for you...:o))

thank you - just keeping my fingers crossed that they will ripen before the birds find them.

:o))))

ps...Seaweed is excellent for the garden...OH used to use it on the Allotment years ago on the I.O.W. alas we're not near the sea now, else I would getting boxfuls too lol....:o))

Did he rinse the salt off himself or just wait for the rain to do it? Did he compost it, chop it up or apply it in lumps?
Its sitting on the drive in the rain at the moment.

.

Steragram...

Here you are tips and hints straight from Ventnor I.O.W.

If you live near the sea here are a few tips on utilising a valuable free resource for your garden. Seaweed is almost good as farmyard manure, although it is lower in phosphates but richer in potash. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals

The best time to collect seaweed for use in the garden is right after a storm as the newly washed up seaweed has less salt in it than weed which has been lurking in a harbour for weeks. If it smells clean and fresh use it, if it pongs walk away. Only collect loose seaweed do not pull it off of rocks, by doing so you will be making numerous sea creatures homeless and damaging the eco system. Give it a quick swish in the sea and a shake to remove any residents. It is best to wash the seaweed with fresh water or leave in the rain for a couple of days to get more of the salt out, worms don’t like it and it kills them if strong enough, same principle as putting salt on slugs.

Make your own Liquid Seaweed Feed
A well known brand of liquid seaweed extract or growth stimulant costs about £7 per litre, you could make your own for free. Get a 10 gallon plastic drum/container, half fill it with seaweed, top up the container with water and let it stand for 3 months, that is the optimum time, I do know people who have used it after a few weeks. Strain off the liquid and add about a cupful to 2 gallons of water, do not be tempted to make it any stronger or you could burn the roots of your plants. Think I might stitch up an old net curtain to make a bag and put the seaweed in that so I don’t have to strain it, then I can put the used seaweed residue on the compost heap. It is quicker and decomposes better if you chop the seaweed up first. You can of course make it in smaller amounts, just use any suitable container for the space you have available.

Compost it
Seaweed is an excellent compost activator, so adding it to you compost heap will add nutrients and more organic matter to your compost.

You can also use a 4″ – 6″ layer of seaweed as a mulch for shrubs and roses, although you might get a few complaints from near neighbours as it starts to rot down.

Seaweed improves the structure of clay soils, think it is the alginates in the seaweed helps break it up so it does not clump so much.

Hope you find these tips helpful....

I'm sure I will - didn't I reply? I thought I had. The seaweed is spread out on the path in the rain at the moment, but I must go and get some more when the weather improves a bit. I did appreciate all the time you took over your helpful answer.

We all get so busy on here; we lose track, I know I can...:o)) Are you getting some decent rain then!! This old weather pattern is really getting strange...So unpredictable....How is your Damson Tree faring now, are you seing some improvement...Good luck.....with it all:

I don't think it will improve this year now - hoping really that it doesn't start growing new shoots as its a bit late. My original 11 damsons are now down to 4, so I picked one today - it was a bit under ripe but at least I made sure of it! Spread the seaweed under it today. However it had a rather belated flower on it this week!

aww...it'll come good for you...

:))
S