Woolly aphids on apple tree

[Cathy W]

I have a rather neglected apple tree that is infested with what I have just found out is woolly aphids. It is absolutely covered in them, and is really unhappy - it hardly flowered at all this year, and has no apples at all. What should I do to get rid of the woolly aphids, or is this tree beyond redemption?

[valmarg]

Get some large cotton wool pads from Boots, soak them in methylated spirits, and go round the apple tree, wiping off the wooly aphids with the cotton wool pads.

It's an old, but effective method of getting rid of the buggers.

valmarg

[nick the grief]

It won't kill them Valmarg, they just end up pis.....er Drunk on the alchohol I'd wait till later on in the year & give it a good seeing to witha winter tar wash that should shift most pests.

If it's really neglected it will need a bit of Pruning as well to get things back and then loads of TLC but if it's gone too far it maybe better to get rid & start again.