Hi, first time I'v 'posted', and i need your help! Moved into our new house three weeks ago, has a large established garden, and we dont know anything about gardening, so i will be picking your brains quite often. But the thing i am worried about at the moment is, we have a pear tree and all of its leaves are coverd with rust spots. does this mean that the tree has to come down? should i call a tree surgen? can they be trusted to give me the correct advice? The pear tree is close to other trees, hedges & rose bushes which are not affected. Any advice? Thanks

Leave the tree alone until you find out what is really causing it. The rust
problems I have had didn't kill any of the trees, but I did cut down two
cedar trees that were growing pretty close to the apple, pear, and peach
trees.

I would call the county extension office (if you live in the U.S.) and have
an agent come out and look at what you have. Otherwise contact your local
college (if they have an agriculture division), and ask for their help.

Dwayne


"Owen" wrote in message
...

Hi, first time I'v 'posted', and i need your help! Moved into our new
house three weeks ago, has a large established garden, and we dont know
anything about gardening, so i will be picking your brains quite often.
But the thing i am worried about at the moment is, we have a pear tree
and all of its leaves are coverd with rust spots. does this mean that
the tree has to come down? should i call a tree surgen? can they be
trusted to give me the correct advice? The pear tree is close to other
trees, hedges & rose bushes which are not affected. Any advice? Thanks




--
Owen

Hi, first time I'v 'posted', and i need your help! Moved into our new
house three weeks ago, has a large established garden, and we dont know
anything about gardening, so i will be picking your brains quite often.
But the thing i am worried about at the moment is, we have a pear tree
and all of its leaves are coverd with rust spots. does this mean that
the tree has to come down? should i call a tree surgen? can they be
trusted to give me the correct advice? The pear tree is close to other
trees, hedges & rose bushes which are not affected. Any advice? Thanks

There are a couple of possibilities: one is a rust fungus, the other is a
mite. No, don't take the tree down. Mostly it's a cosmetic issue for
most home gardeners, but if you don't mind spraying and/or removing
the alternate hosts of the rust fungus, you can keep it damped down
nicely most years.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r603400611.html
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/vanburen/fprmite.htm
https://www.rhs.org.uk/ advice/profiles1001/pear_rust.asp
http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/d...m?RecordID=805
http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/d...m?RecordID=811
http://ipm.osu.edu/element/pear.htm

I just trim rusted pears with a paring knife... that's my control. g

Kay

Dwayne wrote:

Leave the tree alone until you find out what is really causing it. The rust
problems I have had didn't kill any of the trees, but I did cut down two
cedar trees that were growing pretty close to the apple, pear, and peach
trees.

Just for the record, the problem comes from certain Juniper varieties, of
which
the Red Cedar (misnamed) belongs. The offending spores can travel miles to
your fruit trees, but if the offending Junipers are closeby, you will see
ugly galls on them, a consequence of the apple cedar rust disease

Here is a good web reference on the disease:


http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactS...-applerust.htm


I too had two Red Cedars very close to my apple trees and tried to control it

with fungicides. The result was a reduction of the problem, but it never
went away.
I removed the two Red Cedars. If the offending Junipers are on your
neighbor's
lots, there is not much you can do except try to reduce the effect with
fungicides.

Sherwin



I would call the county extension office (if you live in the U.S.) and have
an agent come out and look at what you have. Otherwise contact your local
college (if they have an agriculture division), and ask for their help.

Dwayne

"Owen" wrote in message
...

Hi, first time I'v 'posted', and i need your help! Moved into our new
house three weeks ago, has a large established garden, and we dont know
anything about gardening, so i will be picking your brains quite often.
But the thing i am worried about at the moment is, we have a pear tree
and all of its leaves are coverd with rust spots. does this mean that
the tree has to come down? should i call a tree surgen? can they be
trusted to give me the correct advice? The pear tree is close to other
trees, hedges & rose bushes which are not affected. Any advice? Thanks




--
Owen

at least rust spots are better than "squirrel bodies". they ate all
the developing pears already. damn squirrels. Ingrid