Hi

Friends of ours have a young pear tree. It produced one pear last year and
two this summer.

The problem is that while they look 100% perfect on the outside they are all
brown and rotten inside.

There is no sign of an insect or parasite.

I've googled, but not found an answer.

Anyone have any ideas please?
--
Jenny (the Netherlands)
remove squirrel to reply

JennyC wrote:

Friends of ours have a young pear tree. It produced one pear last year and
two this summer. The problem is that while they look 100% perfect on the
outside they are all brown and rotten inside.

There is no sign of an insect or parasite. I've googled, but not found an answer.
Anyone have any ideas please?

It is probably a nutrient problem exacerbated by prolonged, hot dry
weather. The condition is similar to bitter pit in apples and caused
by poor calcium mobilisation within the plant. It most commonly occurs
during long periods of hot dry weather where near drought conditions
persist. Adding more calcium to the soil will not work since it is the
inability of the plant to move calcium around that causes the condition
and not a deficiency within the soil. Ensuring there is adequate soil
moisture during the formative stages of fruiting is the best
preventative measure. Heavy mulching in early spring and working in
plenty of organic material when planting help maintain soil moisture
levels if addition irrigation is impractical.

"DavePoole Torquay" wrote in message
oups.com...
JennyC wrote:

Friends of ours have a young pear tree. It produced one pear last year
and
two this summer. The problem is that while they look 100% perfect on the
outside they are all brown and rotten inside.

There is no sign of an insect or parasite. I've googled, but not found
an answer.
Anyone have any ideas please?

It is probably a nutrient problem exacerbated by prolonged, hot dry
weather. The condition is similar to bitter pit in apples and caused
by poor calcium mobilisation within the plant. It most commonly occurs
during long periods of hot dry weather where near drought conditions
persist. Adding more calcium to the soil will not work since it is the
inability of the plant to move calcium around that causes the condition
and not a deficiency within the soil. Ensuring there is adequate soil
moisture during the formative stages of fruiting is the best
preventative measure. Heavy mulching in early spring and working in
plenty of organic material when planting help maintain soil moisture
levels if addition irrigation is impractical.

Sounds probably Dave. They are in southern france and it has been HOT down
there!
The soil is indeed poor and I don't think watering has been carried out.
I will pass on your advice.......
thanks, Jenny

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:


Sounds probably Dave. They are in southern france and it has been HOT
down
there!

Has your move-to -France plan progressed, btw? Or has the prospect of
too-hot summers put you off?
Janet

Plan is still on the drawing board. We need to sell the house here in NL
first...............

We were down in France during the recent heatwave. It was no worse than here
in Holland. It rained occasionally and the vegetation was surprisingly
green. there's a whole host of plants that will do well in the conditions
:~))

Jenny

JennyC wrote:
We were down in France during the recent heatwave. It was no worse than here
in Holland. It rained occasionally and the vegetation was surprisingly
green. there's a whole host of plants that will do well in the conditions
:~))

Hullo Jenny!! I've put my heart on a tamarix or two for next year.
Biarritz has inspired me though not sure where I can put them (nor
where I am going to find them), but I fell in love with the fluffyness
of its leaves and the soft appearance. Will a pot do I wonder...

I can't remember the name of the tree my cousin has in the centre of
the garden. Do you remember what it was? Mimosa family but which one?
I've got a few seeds from it and I'm going to have a go. It was
brilliant to see you and Leo there. Those lazy days under the chenes
.... what a life they have. I took 4 lil' oaks and will get them going
in my garden as a souvenir. We managed to go to Toulouse, vast expenses
of crunchy burnt grass filled with jumping grasshoppers, fields upon
fields of straw bales and sun flowers and then Barcelona with all its
yukkas in flowers. Saragoza and Logrono were a disapointment - it felt
like death valley and someone nicked our spare wheel so we headed back
to Horsegor, hortensias everywhere, in any containers possible and just
had to jump in those mighty waves again ... beam me up somebody (

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...

JennyC wrote:
We were down in France during the recent heatwave. It was no worse than
here
in Holland. It rained occasionally and the vegetation was surprisingly
green. there's a whole host of plants that will do well in the conditions
:~))

Hullo Jenny!! I've put my heart on a tamarix or two for next year.
Biarritz has inspired me though not sure where I can put them (nor
where I am going to find them), but I fell in love with the fluffyness
of its leaves and the soft appearance. Will a pot do I wonder...

I can't remember the name of the tree my cousin has in the centre of
the garden. Do you remember what it was? Mimosa family but which one?

Albizia julibrissin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Albizia_julibrissin

I've got a few seeds from it and I'm going to have a go.

Oooooooo - got any spare ones going pelase? I'd love to try it too:~)

It was brilliant to see you and Leo there. Those lazy days under the chenes
... what a life they have. I took 4 lil' oaks and will get them going
in my garden as a souvenir. We managed to go to Toulouse, vast expenses
of crunchy burnt grass filled with jumping grasshoppers, fields upon
fields of straw bales and sun flowers and then Barcelona with all its
yukkas in flowers. Saragoza and Logrono were a disapointment - it felt
like death valley and someone nicked our spare wheel so we headed back
to Horsegor, hortensias everywhere, in any containers possible and just
had to jump in those mighty waves again ... beam me up somebody (

I know - been back at work 2 weeks myself :~(

Jenny

JennyC wrote:

Albizia julibrissin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Albizia_julibrissin

That's the one 'arbre de soie'. I'll try to catch it in flower next
spring. I'm going back in Dec/january to help with (re) starting that
veg plot which got really abandonned. It's behind the row of trees and
bushes. It's sand - all sand! I've told them to order mega tons of
manure. There's nothing else to do. Only the tomatoes and chillies got
going ...

Oooooooo - got any spare ones going pelase? I'd love to try it too:~)

Off Course! I've got a few pods - it's in the post! Last year I've
pinched lots of wisterias, I've got 3 going, lanky spindly things but
given time I'm sure I'll cover a wall or two. Incidentally I'm going to
chop my 7 years old one which never flowered. Wish me luck, I don't
really like being *that* brutal. We're going to loose lots of beautiful
twisted wood but it needs a shock to spur it into some action I think.
I've returned to find all our japanese anemones into bloom, the verbena
went bizerk and is taller than me (I know easy) and tons of blueberries
and black berries (from a thornless variety). Really sweet these are.

Back to work tomorrow ... deep sigh