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Pear Tree problem
chel
Posts: 24
HI All
I have a red pear tree which is now about 20' high. I bought it about 5-6 years ago and it had 3 red pears on it. Since then every year it flowers and the fruits set and then all the ends of the branches and leaves (about 12-15") turn black as if it has been burnt, they go brittle and die and all the young fruits fall off. I end up cutting them back but it goes on to produce a very healthy looking tree - till the next year!!
I would be very grateful of any advice please,
Many thanks, Chel
0
Posts
Hi pansyface,
It does look similar but mine always starts at the end of the new branches and I have not seen a branch with a live leaf on it, nor patchy blackening. It is just the last part of the branches that are affected. I have on occasion missed cutting an odd one off,(If it's too high) but it has never spread further up the branch. The fruit do form and then just shrivel, they do not turn black.
Can I ask a daft question please? That article is from America - do we have the same bacterial/virus problems here???
Thanks for replying and for your patience!
Chel
I'm not sure but it's funny you should say that because yesterday when I looked at it there are 2 'trunks' coming out of the ground but the second one has got thorns on it. I think it might be blackthorn as there are loads around here and I am always digging the young trees out.
I wonder if it could have anything to do with it?
Cheers Chel
I have looked at your pictures of the pear tree,and that it is Fire Blight,well I live in Scotland and have a lemon tree which was doing great for the first couple of years and then the same thing happened to my tree,tried cutting it back,tree is covered if any serious frost is going to hit,but to no avail,I am considering digging it out and treating roots,before planting it elsewhere.as I have other fruit trees nearby and I do not want this to affect the other trees,(apple and plum trees).
Sorry Roughdigger but I haven't posted a picture, it must be the link pansyface posted but thanks anyway.
I have a wild pear which is thorny, maybe that's what it's grafted onto.
Do both the trunks have the problem?
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Sorry Chel for misunderstanding if you hit on the link on pansyface gave you will see the pictures at http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/3799/why-is-my-pear-tree-dying-around-the-blossoms
so if you click on this you will see pictures of pear tree.
Yes I did look at the link roughrider but my tree does not look like that one, mine only goes black at the end of the new branches. It looks fine until the pears are about 1" long - then it's all down hill!!!
Sorry pansyface but I don't know the variety but I did buy it at a Garden centre and as I said it had 3 lovely red pears on when I got it.
I have only just noticed the thorns on the other trunk but I think I will wait for the leaves to come out and then I can tell what it is!
Cheers everyone.
The second trunk could be a sucker from the rootstock. Quince is often used and I know some of those are thorny. If it is a sucker, you need to remove it (try digging down and physically pulling it off, or cut if unable to do that.) Rootstocks are much more vigorous then the grafted tree and suckers will quickly take over, drawing all the goodness from the rootstock resulting in the grafted tree being starved and eventually dieing. I would remove it sooner rather than later.
Thanks Bob I will do that as soon as it stops flipping raining!!!