Below are photos of my 8 year old Barlett Pear tree that is in my sandy front yard, Wisconsin - Zone 4. Noticed the dead, burnt looking foot of a top limb after petal drop and cut it back to the trunk. Notice the cross section from this limb cut - it has a brown circle. I’m just wondering if that is fire blight damage or even a type of black rot that causes darkened wood of infected limbs. I threw in some trunk photos of this tree also if the raised bark areas are fire blight damage or canker or normal? Painted trunks half water and half interior white latex paint 4 years ago.
Then, I had 6-8 chew/peck marks on limbs and also on an established apple tree this spring. I’m sure that didn’t help with letting in disease. Is it worth using some pruning seal on those with our humid weather?
Lastly, above the removed FB limb, on the main trunk, There is some bark peeling and i’m not sure if that is the FB or more bird damage? I feel like I should maybe lop that off too?
Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions.
