On 18/08/2011 09:28, Dave Hill wrote:
On Aug 17, 2:16 pm, wrote:
wrote in news:Gadge.8c133d6
@gardenbanter.co.uk:

Hi, I have a established pear tree (unknown on the type) in my garden.
Problem is i never get an good pears from it. They never look too good
and nearly always have maggots in them!

I would like to have a tree where i could simply pull a pear off and eat
there and then I've attached some photos. I think it may be a sick
tree?

Any help would be great.

Here are the photos:
http://tinyurl.com/3qkqkbj
http://tinyurl.com/4x92qh3
http://tinyurl.com/3wruvek
http://tinyurl.com/3pxouzp
http://tinyurl.com/3hvatap

I think it is a Conference pear.

I have a mature one which was in the garden when I bought the house.

Mine looks just like yours with all the green cankery stuff on the
branches, and spot on the leaves.

The green cankery stuff is lichen and it is doing the tree no harm at
all. Just means you have fairly clean air.

It is neccessary to remove any pears which touch each other because that is
where the pesky grubs eggs are laid. You need a single pear per truss. Take
off up to 2/3 or 66% of pears on the entire tree if it is laden with them.

I don't think you can just pick and eat, well at least I have never been
able to. I have found that just when turning a yellowy colour to pick them
and keep for a week or 2 until they are soft enough to eat.

You need to prune it when the tree is dormant, and would advise you to
google this to get a firm understanding. Pruning correctly will promote
sturdy fruit growth.

True it looks a sick tree, but mine is the same, as I said, and always has
been since we moved here. We always get nice enough pears with a bit of
effort.

I would be carefull about pruning, if you cut to hard then you could
end up with a lot of new growth and no fruit.
First thing to do in the winter, when the tree is dormant is to cut
out any dead and dammaged wood, remove ant branches /twigs that are
touching.

I agree. Cut out any crossing or diseased branches to improve the
airflow. Aiming for the classic goblet shape over 2-3 years of pruning.
The trees always fight back against being pruned and if you prune too
heavily you get lots of sappy growth and no fruit.

RHS do a good book on pruning with helpful illustrations.

It looks to me as if it wants a bit more air flowing through it.
Softly, softly catchie monkey.

I can't think of any fungicides still licensed for amateur use that
would really do any good against scab. Might be worth a single
application of cheshunt compound or Bordeaux mixture as spray early in
the season. I don't think it will do much good, but it might help (as
will tidying up all the leaves off the ground and adding grease bands
during winter and/or pheromone traps during the spring and summer).

I have gone off winter tar oil washes I think they do more harm than
good unless the tree is badly afflicted with woolly aphid. Even then a
stiff brush dipped in meths is more effective at seeing them off.

Regards,
Martin Brown