TROUBLESHOOTER

Q When can I pick the fruit?

A If you leave pears on the tree for too long, the texture and flavour suffers, so it’s best to pick them early and finish ripening them indoors. Cup a fruit and lift until it’s horizontal, and it should come away in your hand. Pick early pears in August to ripen on a windowsill in indirect light; the warmer they are, the faster they’ll ripen. Harvest later-maturing pears in September or October to store in a cool, dark place. Check them regularly – long-storing cultivars can last until the following March.

Q Why are there brown scabby marks on the fruit?

A Pear scab is a fungal disease that causes dark spots on fruit and leaves while twigs may blister and crack. Fruit is still edible, but if the skin cracks it won’t store. It’s more of a problem in mild, damp seasons, and subsequently is worse in wetter parts of the country. Spores will overwinter in infected leaf litter and twigs, so clear them away promptly. Choose a cultivar noted for scab resistance such as ‘Beurre Hardy’ and grow plants in an open, sunny site.

Q Is this sunken circle of bark canker?

A Canker is a fungal disease affecting apples and pears to a lesser extent. It’s worse on wet, poorly drained soils. You’ll notice sunken sections on stems and branches with rings of swollen, dying tissue. If it circles a limb the branch dies. The best control is to prune out infected branches promptly, cutting back to healthy wood, disinfecting tools and burning prunings.

Q Shoots are turning black, is my tree dying?

A Shoot tips that look scorched indicate a bacterial disease called fireblight. You’ll find brown staining beneath peeled-back bark, and sometimes white, oozing liquid. Carried by insects and rain, it infects pear, apple and related trees through their blossom, and is prevalent in warm, wet springs. Fireblight can kill trees, especially young ones. The only control is to cut out infected shoots, pruning back into healthy growth. On young plants it’s best to dig out and start again. Clean pruning tools between cuts and burn all prunings.