Question
QUESTION: 2 years ago my plum tree bark split up and down with a gold color sap coming our of small holes, i took a sample to the some one local and was told i had boars. and they could not help me. i called bayer products and was told to use their product bayer 12 month tree and shrub insect control but could not eat the plums for 1 yr. i think the plum tree is still part infected, but over 1/2 of it is still bearing fruit and looks good is their any thing i can spray or feed to the tree to help make it well

ANSWER: If I am reading this right--the tree had borers and you treated it with Bayer advanced Tree and Scrub Insect control and now part of the tree has leaves the other does not. Are you seeing any new signs of borer infestation--sap running out or sawdust on the limbs or trunk? If not then check and see if the part with no leaves is still alive--start near the end of an upper branch and scrape a small bit of bark off the branch-if the color under the bark is green the branch is still alive, If the color is brown this branch is dead. Check others and if these are dead I would prune the dead ones  off.

If you still have signs of borer infestation I would spray the wound areas with an insecticide called Merit This will kill the borers without harming the fruit.

I would also fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rat of 1 lb of fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and water in good.

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QUESTION: i have looked at the local home depot and lowes in our town as we do not have any other outlet, what kind of store would carry the merit. also what type of spray should i use on my tree for things like jap beetles, as all the products don't list plum trees on labels  thank you again for your help

Answer
A tree nursery or garden center should have the Merit or be able to get it. Department type stores usually carry only products that are generally used around the house. It has the same active ingredient as The Bayer Advanced but is sprayed on instead of taken up up the roots and thus does not get into the fruit. Other Insecticides available for homeowner use include some formulations of carbaryl, permethrin and imidacloprid. These may not be as effective as the Merit.