Dave from Rancho Cucamonga, Ca writes
I have 2 pear trees for over 20 years but the trees now have fire blight and a bug infestation. The black bug enters at the bottom of the fruit and travels to the core and a large black spot appears on the outside of the fruit. Almost 75% of the fruit is lost. I heard copper helps, any ideas?
After doing some research with universities and their studies there are not a lot of options for controlling fire blight on pears. Most recommend using right at the beggining stages of growth and emergence in the spring to start spraying regularly with copper fungicides. Monterey Liqui-Cop or Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide would be good foliar options for the blight. For the bugs since we dont know exactly what pest it is we cant say for certain the best product or application method for you to use. A general product you could go with that is safe for pears is Imidapro 4SC since it can be applied to pears for a variety of pests both as a soil drench treatment and as a foliar spray. Just be sure to follow instructions on the product label for reapplication intervals and dilution rates. We would also suggest contacting a local arborist to see if there are any measures others are taking more specific to your area for timing and control.
Answer last updated on: 01/12/2016
