fireblight

[wtnhunt]

Got a couple pear trees left in the yard. One last year ended up becoming infected with the fireblight. Cut it back, looked like it was recovering and doing well, then later on saw more, and cut it back even further. Looked like before it went dormant that it was going to be fine. The other trees seemed fine then. Sprayed all the trees with antifungal and malathion a couple times this year, just checked them today, and the blight is back on the one pear tree, and am now seeing signs on the trunk too with orangish streaking.

So I looked at the other trees, and now they have spots on the leaves, and a few twigs have the signs of the blight turning blackish, and it is down low in the trees. Best as I can figure, I used the chain saw to trim some limbs back really late in the winter, on these trees. The limbs from the pear tree that was infected before must have had the blight down a lot further than I thought and the chain saw must have transferred the blight. Read somewhere you are supposed to clean any tools you use on infected trees with a bleach water mix, I did not spray or wipe bleach on the stihl between cutting limbs which now I am seeing was probably a huge mistake.

At this point, I am afraid I am going to just keep cutting them back and then have it coming back and later cutting them back again and again until it gets to the point that they are down to nothing left and am wondering if I should just go ahead on and push them up with the tractor and burn them. I hate to do that, because the trees were some of the first fruit trees we planted in the yard here. At the same time we just planted some apple trees, and dont want to lose them either.

Anyone out there had much experience dealing with the fireblight? Is there any other way to get rid of it, any new chemicals? What would you do? As much as I hate to, really think I am going to push the pear trees up with the tractor and burn them.

[Ravin R10 man]

Re: fireblight

check with your county extension office??

[LETMGROW]

Re: fireblight

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check with your county extension office??

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Great advice right there. Give them a call

Lynn

[wtnhunt]

Re: fireblight

Thanks for the advice Martin.

Will give them and the local coop both a call tomorrow morning. Was about to push the trees up Saturday while I was working with the tractor, but decided to hold off until I could get a little more information. Been cold enough here the past few days, the blight hopefully will not spead anymore.

Did find out that an antibiotic called streptomycin can be sprayed on the infected trees. Not sure how much it costs or where I can find it though.

[wtnhunt]

Re: fireblight

Ag extension guy basically said it is not worth it to try to save them, once it is there it will keep coming back year after year only to possibly infect other trees. Will push them up and burn them this afternoon

[Guest realtrhunter]

Re: fireblight

Your extensions guy was right. It will stay around indefinatly and spread. You are best off burning the trees, and anytime you trim anything with the blight burn the cuttings. Hopefully you didn't use the cutting tools on any other trees or wood around. If you did you need to burn it also. It is pretty much becoming a common practice to clean any cutting tools that are used in an area that have the chance of being infected with something before removed form the sight.

[dogdoc]

Re: fireblight

sorry about the loss of the trees.

[wtnhunt]

Re: fireblight

Pushed up the trees yesterday afternoon. While they pushed up easily, it was tough to do. It was really pretty sad losing some of the first trees we ever planted here. The older tree, a bartlett pear had at one time before I had to cut it back been over 20 ft tall, and was always very full before it got infected. The wife watched from in the house, said she about cried watching the trees in the tractor bucket going across the back yard.