Many of us are finding antibiotics harder to find. Many of our favorite European pears or susceptible apples cannot be grown in Fireblight country without some creative agriculture techniques such as antibiotics, copper etc. . Do we give up and grow FB resistant varieties and quit using antibiotics? Many people fear overuse of antibiotics makes them less effective for treating bacteria when we get sick. What are your thoughts? This is what I’m using around bloom time for non FB resistant pears
Do you use it with a sticker?
I have a love for a clapps favorite I should not be growing here. We eat the pears ourselves. The original 30 foot parent tree was killed to the ground which I knew would happen someday. I grafted a couple of scions on some isolated trees and top worked a mature pear. Clapps are FB magnets but the spray is very effective. I just mix it with my fungicide when I apply it with a small portable sprayer. Antibiotics are available and inexpensive through a few sources but getting harder to find http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005XOPBCU/ref=mp_s_a_1_6/175-4259766-9705009?qid=1448588871&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=fertilome&dpPl=1&dpID=51gJQgMCksL&ref=plSrch
Springtime fireblight is my biggest concern due to it being able to kill or damage a tree in a short period of time. My small orchard of about 30 trees are a mixture of disease resistant varieties and other that are susceptible. I started out using antibiotics but for the last two seasons I only used Serenade. I haven’t seen any fireblight during the last two years and I sure hope my luck continues. Bill
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I’m focused on growing more Fireblight resistant varieties. I still have a Bartlett and a clapps favorite. Everything new I graft has been FB resistant. There will always be a few exceptions. I’m not sure I can resist growing forel pears long term but I’m trying to. I love pears and especially want too try the most famous such as Comice. In Kansas we don’t get those types of produce typically so when I grow it is the first time I try it.
Clark, just try Magness and/or Warren pear.
I have had both Comice and Magness and they are similarly delicious top-of-the-line pears. Warren is supposed to be just as great.
Magness and Warren are more FB resistent.
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