flowering cherry problem

[youngando]

I have bought a young flowering cherry tree which is happily growing about 5 foot tall now . HOWEVER , something is eating the leaves. I have been out early in the morning and late at night but can see no caterpillars or slugs climbing up. Any ideas what it may be ??? Thanks

[Thunderbird+]

I think it may well be caterpillars, possibly winter moth, march moth or mottled umber moth, caterpillars, they are not always easy to spot and may have even finnished feeding now and gone down into the soil to pupate. Adult insects emerge around late October to early April, the femails are wingless and crawl up the trunks to lay eggs under the leaves. You can reduce the amount of femails by fitting sticky grease bands around the tree/s, stakes too if you have them, you should be able to buy these at any good garden centre. You may also be able to kill the egge with 'winter wash or better still spray young caterpillars with permethrin, pirimiphos-methyl or fenitrothion.

Another possible cause of holes in some fruit tree leaves is 'shothole' a fungal disease ( Stigimina carpophila) this can be treated with 'Bordeaux mixture' during the summer. Good luck.

[youngando]

Thanks for that . It's not holes in the leaves but you can see where some orrible little critter has been munching away from the outside inwards. Great suggestions ! I'm going to the garden centre at lunch time and then hunting tonight !!!