Over a two year period it has become infected by something and a hunt on the internet has yielded nothing like the problem we have. This spring the leaves and some bunches of flower buds are already covered with rose-coloured spots even before leaf and flower buds have barely opened. I sprayed the tree in the fall and spring with a solution of five tbsp. hydrogen peroxide, two each of green soap and baking soda per gallon of water. The problem, whatever it is, has come back worse than before. Last year I spent a lot of time partially denuding the tree of mottled leaves whenever any appeared and burned them. I cleaned up under the tree in the fall. Thus far our Bosc and Conference pears haven't been infected. What's going on? Can anyone help diagnose this and tell us what to do to get rid of it? --Lynetta
Interesting development there, Lynetta! Does the damage seem to be pretty severe, or could you live with it, I wonder? Not sure exactly what causes this, tho it must be some kind of mite. I doubt that your tree is in danger from it tho. Here is a bit of a discussion about these sorts of pear and apple mites... http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/eriophyd.htm
Hi there, Growest! Thank you so much for your reply. Right on! Read your posted article, got out my ancient microscope and saw exactly what that first photograph--order acari--family aereophyidae--showed so plainly. Had a sneaking suspicion last year it was a mite, except people spoke of mites as little green bumps. These definitely weren't green. Different member of the family? I'd be willing to put up with some, except they weaken the tree and affect pear production, survivors being marked with dark rather concave blotches, also misshapen fruit. Like you, being a live-and-let-live gardener, I'll see if I can find some innocuous inhibitor. Kitchen chemistry sometimes triumphs. This is such a great site for helping distressed gardeners, as someone sooner or later comes up with a solution--in my case sooner--only two days. Applause for the masters of this site and those who read it and contribute solutions! Once again, many thanks. Lynetta
Looks like pear blister mite. Standard treatment is a post harvest application of lime-sulfur and oil.
Thank you Terry, you're right--it's a mite. Lime-sulfur sounds good. Guess I'll have to wait until fall before doing anything about it. Few pears again this year. :-( Lynetta
our little pear tree:Next question Now that the problem has been pinpointed as red pear mite and I have removed all of the infected leaves I'm wondering if it would be effective to spray the tree now, as there is no fruit? (Why wait till fall--do it now?)
