Gorgeous day but the weather is full of twists this year in Kansas!
Well, I don’t have that many blooms, but I’m pleased to report that my Orient pear has some blossoms. They just popped out yesterday, while the leaves seemed to have unfolded too.
The Pineapple has leaves on it, but I don’t see any blooms on it, while the Moonglow has leaves and it looks like maybe some fruit buds about to open.
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Great news on your orient pear! Moonglow has been slow to fruit here.
awesome…how many bushels are you expecting this year?
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@jeremymillrood
Pears are not known for high yields so I would say I’d be lucky to get 7-8 bushels but some trees are just coming into full production. My red bartlett is tricky because it can produce half of 7-8 bushels by itself on a good year. I could wind up with half that or triple that. Weather has been a little dicey!
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I can’t tell by the photo what the issue is but can tell the plant looks like it’s suffering.
My bet is on Pear leaf blister mites.
You could search old threads using the magnifying glass symbol on the top right corner next to your avatar. There are threads about this. It is a common pear issue.
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@fullplate
Yes @mamuang is right those are pear blister mites https://extension.psu.edu/tree-fruit-mite-pests-pear-blister-mite-and-pear-rust-mite. The similar pear rust mite is also becoming more common Pear-Eriophyid mite | Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks & http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm/displaySpecies.php?pn=310 & http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r603400511.html
@coolmantoole - Marcus, i heard your magnesium comment in one of your videos and have been meaning to ask how much you have given your pear trees? I’ve been thinking i have a similar issue with one of my pears, so your use of Epsom salts is timely. Just wondering how much to use and how often. Thanks!
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I would go light at first and wait and see how they react to it. An issue I always have to be careful of is that I have blueberries and huckleberries planted around most of my pear trees, and they really, really don’t like salinity. That means I can’t apply the salts very evenly but only around parts of the drip line away from berry bushes. I gave each tree a couple to three hands full around the drip line early this spring. Where it was one hand full or several depended on how big the tree was. Today I added a little more because it’s supposed to rain tonight and all day tomorrow. I will probably lay off for the rest of this year and do the same again next year. but we will see how the trees respond to this second dose in a few days. God bless.
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@coolmantoole
I agree with you on the application of magnesium. I’ve used it myself most of my life on the soil in this area and when you need it you sure know it once it’s been applied.
Thanks, Marcus. I watered in about a handful and will see how it goes. Also added the same to 3 persimmons that i hope will flower this year…I heard that could help against fruit drop for them.
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