Never thought I'd be in a position to offer a tip, and this may already well known, but it appears mint growing at the base of a fruit tree helps keep pests off it. Aphids were wreaking havoc on my first cherry tree a couple years back. Some chocolate mint spread to the base of the tree this year, no issues. I understand there is a link between ants and aphids, and apparently ants don't like mint. No ants = no aphids? I noticed a lack of ants on a cherry tree I planted last year when I cut some mint and spread it around the base. Of course, when the mint dried out the ants were back working their unholy alliance with the black plague bugs which were bad this year. I planted some chocolate mint around this tree and its already starting to spread so next year will be interesting to test my theory.
