Cicada protection for baby fruit trees - Ask Extension
My wife snd I got excited, for nostalgia reasons, about paw paw trees, and bought one each of Asima triloba Shenendoah and A. triloba Susquehanna from...
Knowledgebase
Cicada protection for baby fruit trees #754453
Asked June 07, 2021, 10:37 AM EDT
My wife snd I got excited, for nostalgia reasons, about paw paw trees, and bought one each of Asima triloba Shenendoah and A. triloba Susquehanna from Logee's Nursery in Connecticut. We started them indoors, then planted them outdoors last week. The increasing cicada sounds reminded me that this might not be such good timing. What should I do now? Take them back indoors? Spray them with an insecticide? Surround them with a fine mesh barrier?
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
Thank you for your question! You are absolutely right to be worried about cicada damage. If it is not too difficult for you and doesn't disturb the new roots, taking them back inside is probably the best and perhaps easiest solution.
The following site offers some advice about netting and insecticides and describes the damage cicadas cause:
https://mgnv.org/2021/03/17/protecting-young-trees-from-periodical-cicadas/
Here is the advice from that site that answers your questions:"Netting with a mesh no larger than 1 cm will effectively control injury on branches. Make sure that net is tied well enough to avoid trapping mammals and birds. Tree wrapping with paper tape, tin foil, or similar materials can deter egg laying. Biological control is ineffective because of predator satiation strategy of periodical cicadas. Insecticides are not typically recommended."
The following site offers some advice about netting and insecticides and describes the damage cicadas cause:
https://mgnv.org/2021/03/17/protecting-young-trees-from-periodical-cicadas/
Here is the advice from that site that answers your questions:
Good luck!
