Mark Leverton

Sat 08 Feb 2014 12:35pm

Hi Irene Sounds like your trees have got disease .. I have copied and pasted the following from a site which should help you identify what it could be.. 1 Look for leaves that turn dark brown to black, wilting blossoms and sticky red-brown residue that seeps from infected areas of branches and trunks, indicating that the tree has fire blight. 2 Examine pear tree leaves for lesions that start as brown spots and gradually develop a velvety appearance. Turn leaves over and look for spots. A tree with these symptoms may have pear scab, a fungal disease. If not treated, lesions will form on the fruit. 3 Check the tops of leaves for spots with grayish-white centers and clearly defined borders. The spots may grow to one-quarter inch in diameter, with tiny black spots appearing in the centers. These symptoms indicate pear leaf spot disease. 4 Inspect the leaves growing closest to the ground for small purple spots that may grow larger and turn brown or blackish purple and one black pimple may appear in the middle of each spot. When wet, spores ooze from the spots. This indicates Fabraea leaf and fruit spot disease. Treating Diseases 1 Treat fire blight by removing all cankers from the tree limbs that measure 1 inch or larger in diameter. Apply a streptomycin formulation after temperatures exceed 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the tree's petals first open, then repeat the treatment every five to seven days. Stop treatment when temperatures drop below 65 F. 2 Control pear scab, leaf spot and Fabraea leaf and fruit spot by spraying the tree with regular applications of a fungicide during the active growth season. Fungicides designed to treat the disease in apple trees will also work for pear trees. The number and timing of applications depends on the specific type of fungicide you are using. 3 Pruning off infected areas of the tree may prevent the disease from spreading further. Disinfecting pruning tools with diluted household bleach also helps stop the spread of disease. If you can't identify a disease, send a few of the tree's leaves to the RHS Members Advisory Service at Wisley . They will test the leaves and send you the diagnosis and will be able to advise you on how to treat the disease Many diseases can be avoided by proper application of preventive fungicide, sanitation, pruning and fertilizing. Some pear varieties are resistant to certain diseases. Ask your local nursery if they carry any disease-resistant varieties. Hope this helps Mark Surrey Hills Landscaping

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philip desmond

Sat 08 Feb 2014 10:05pm

Hello Irene, As mentioned in the reply below it could be disease affecting your trees, but it also could be late frosts, drying out of the soil or a lack of a pollinating partner. Check the fallen fruit by cutting open to see if there are any maggots inside. With the pear this could be Pear midge, dispose of the fallen fruit, mulch under the tree which should trap the pupae, in winter rake through and let the birds peck through. The plum could be attacked by Plum Sawfly which tunnel into the fruit. Same treatment as for Pear Midge. Check garden centre for any suitable sprays if necessary. Mulching the trees would also help towards conserving moisture, also clear away any grass growing around the base of the trees at least 3ft around. If possible check the variety of Pear and Plum you have and see if you have respective pollinating partner for them. Cross pollination ensures better crops. Regards, Phil

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