Cherry Tree with Holes in the Leaves, Insect or Fungus?

This is from Jim, Jim says, ‘I have a 20-year-old Schubert cherry tree where the leaves all have small holes in them. I’m not sure if it’s from an insect or fungus. I did spray some Broad Vance 3-in-1 insect disease and mite control around the bottom. Am I in danger of losing the tree?’

Generally no, you’re not in danger of losing the tree. I’m not sure unless I see it in person, but it’s most likely Japanese beetle damage. Now, Japanese beetle will damage the leaves on a tree, but generally they’re not going to kill the tree. They just cause the leaves to drop, and disfigure the leaves for that season.

Now, when he says he used the 3-in-1 around the base of the tree, the 3-in-1’s designed, if it’s the same product that I’m thinking of, the BioAdvance 3-in-1 is designed to spray on the foliage and then it runs into the sap system. But they do make one called Tree and Shrub Protect that can be, it’s a liquid as well, that can be drenched around the base. That will be absorbed and run up through the sap system. Now, for that chemical to work, the insect still has to take a bite out of the leaf. Now, when it does that, it’ll kill the insect, but the leaf still has a hole in it.

If you use the Tree and Shrub Protect and put it around the base, it’s doing its job. If you use the 3-in-1, which is the foliar spray that’s supposed to be on the leaves of the plant and you sprayed it around the base, it’s not going to be effective and do very much. It has to be put on the foliage.

My question to him is, if he wants to stop by the nursery, bring a picture of what he applied or show us on the shelf which one he applied and how he applied it, we can tell him whether it’s going to be effective or not.

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