Topic: What's wrong with these pears?

[Leonnie]

The tree blossomed well, the fruitlets started to develop without any problems but now they are slowly turning to this:





What's wrong with them? The tree is a Conference growing in a sheltered spot. Last year we had lots of healthy fruit off it.

[jennym]

Most probably pear gall midge - you might find larvae inside if you cut them open.

[Leonnie]

Thanks jenny, I'll cut some open tomorrow and have a look. I found this site, definitely looks the same http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0602/pear_midge.asp, I'll pick off all the reachable infected fruit this weekend.

[jennym]

First thing is don't leave any infested fruits lying around, and any suitable insecticide can be sprayed when you first see the flower buds, to kill the adult midge itself, but its a bit late now (I think)

[saddad]

I've got that as well, haven't really got to grips with it yet!
 >:(

[Leonnie]

Thanks Jenny, I'll have a good search around the base of the tree to make sure I don't miss any dropped fruit.

[saddad]

Mine are underplanted with Solomon's seal and Aquilega, all self sets, a bit of marjoram and anything else which takes a fancy to it, I know you are supposed to keep bare soil around the base of fruit trees....
 :-[

[Leonnie]

Mine too saddad, this particular tree is growing in a flower border so it will involve a bit of searching to find the dropped fruitlets. I might see if the children will help me, prize for the one who finds the most fruitlets without destroying the plants in the border. :) I know you're not meant to grow things at the base of fruit trees, but what do you do when space is at a premium? :-\

[Leonnie]

I picked off some of the fruitlets and cut them open. These little nasties are eating their way through the pear from the inside.



I've tried picking off as many fruitlets as possible but there are so many and the tree is too tall for me to reach those higher up. Does anyone know if there's a biological way of controlling them? I'm wondering if nemaslug might work at destroying the grubs underground.