On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:27:21 +0000, Justin Wilson wrote:


"Mike Harris" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:48:54 +0000, Justin Wilson wrote:
Justin,

What area are you in, and what variety do you have? I love pears, but my
tree never fruited and ultimately succumbed to fireblight.

I actually live just north of SA. I believe the pear tree is a Pfanstiel
hybrid - I don't recall the exact spelling. But the trees are very strong,
healthy, and almost too much fruit. Luckily the dogs help clean up the yard.
Plus, I try to remove many of the new fruit to prevent limb breakage.

I wonder of the Bayer systemic formula would prevent fireblight?

That's essentially an agricultural antibiotic. it can stave it off but
you have to be extremely diligent in its use, as well as treating
prophylactically before any sign of fireblight hits the tree. I
unfortunately did not start spraying until I had already lost a good chunk
of the tree.

If I were to try growing an asian pear - which I like very much but AFAIK
have no fireblight resistant cultivars, I might try this approach. For
ordinary pears I believe the surest course is to choose one that's
fireblight resistant.
--
Mike Harris
Austin TX

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:27:20 +0000, Justin Wilson wrote:



"Jangchub" wrote in message Pears do usually
have good fruit production every other year. I'm not
sure why you got two crops, but when you do, I suggest you side dress
the tree, out to the drip line using compost and organic fertilzer.
Something like Sustane, or LadyBug Brand.

Thanks Jang, I will. What will that do?

Putting out a fruit crop can stress the tree. Two crops in one season,
even more so. The compost and organic fertilizer will "put back" what the
double crop "took out."

I would imagine that Jangchub specified organic as it will do its work in
a way that will likely be more readily and easily assimilated than an
inorganic fertilizer. The latter are essentially salts of nitrogen,
potassium and phosphorus which can cause temporary stress to the tree
when applied, might be formulated more for short term effectiveness than
what's best for the tree in the long term, and add no organic matter.
--
Mike Harris
Austin TX

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:26:42 +0000, Cliff wrote:

I don't believe there is any cure for fireblight. Prune off the bad areas
and get the chain saw.


Correct - no cure, but it can be prevented. In theory.

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:27:21 GMT, "Justin Wilson" wrote:


"Mike Harris" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:48:54 +0000, Justin Wilson wrote:
Justin,

What area are you in, and what variety do you have? I love pears, but my
tree never fruited and ultimately succumbed to fireblight.

I actually live just north of SA. I believe the pear tree is a Pfanstiel
hybrid - I don't recall the exact spelling. But the trees are very strong,
healthy, and almost too much fruit. Luckily the dogs help clean up the yard.
Plus, I try to remove many of the new fruit to prevent limb breakage.

I wonder of the Bayer systemic formula would prevent fireblight?

Diflusate (sp?) is an extremely, toxic pesticide used systemically. I
have used it IN containers on plants where I'm going to lose the plant
and I collect very expensive brugmansia and datura. I don't think
Bayer is labeled for food.

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:27:20 GMT, "Justin Wilson" wrote:



"Jangchub" wrote in message Pears do usually have
good fruit production every other year. I'm not
sure why you got two crops, but when you do, I suggest you side dress
the tree, out to the drip line using compost and organic fertilzer.
Something like Sustane, or LadyBug Brand.

Thanks Jang, I will. What will that do?


Normally, with trees it is rarely necessary to fertilize with anything
more than the few fertilizations used for the turf. I use LadyBug
Brand, granular fertilizer once a year and I have the greenest grass
on the block.

The certified organic fertilizers do not have any extraneous fillers,
everyhing in the bag is something which nourishes the soil. In the
case of LadyBug (sold at the Natural Gardener) there is a coating on
each granule of black strap molassas. This is also a wonderful
fixative for the soil an gives nourishment, and chelated iron to the
soil organisms, which churn the soil, and their excrement becomes part
of the whole process of using certified organic fertilizers.

Other cheaper brands like Scotts or whatever product is inorganically
derived nitrogen (UREA and the like) can and usually do burn the
organisms in the soil making the plants grow differently and have (to
use human terms) addiction to this non-organic measure.

Top coating soil with good compost is another way to give macro
organisms something to carry down into the soil, ingest and excrete in
the form of worm castings.

This is what I've done in the past, your experience may differ.

Has anyone heard of a hybrid pear tree typed named something like Pfansteil?
I think the namesake is a Texas arborist or botonist.