Cultural control options are limited for apple leaf midge. Attacks tend to be more severe where trees have abundant vigorous shoot growth. Ensuring that tree growth is not excessively vigorous will prevent populations increasing.
- Removal of extension growth and watershoots by summer pruning when eggs and young larvae are numerous in the shoots may reduce populations subsequently but such removal between generations may cause more intensive damage to the remaining foliage by the next generation.
- Fostering high populations of predatory ground beetles by providing tussock grass in the alleyways may be beneficial.
- Cultivation of the soil under the trees where the larvae form cocoons to pupate may also be beneficial though this has not been demonstrated. However, such cultivation might have adverse effects on natural enemies such as earwigs.