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I have orange spots on a lot of the leaves of my pear tree. Not a lot of spots per leaf - just one or two on most of them. I assume this is a straightforward case of rust but have not seen it on pears before. Is there a good organic way of dealing with this - e.g. reduce overcrowding or give a high potash feed?  Thoughts welcome.  It's not causing the leaves to drop and does not seem to be affecting the fruit but I'd like to get rid of it if I can. ???

I'd post a photo if I could but have not yet worked out how to do that.

Dont know but I have it on my apple trees and didnt get any answer when I asked about it in the 'pests' section. I asked in a local gardening centre but the woman there thought I was daft to try to stay organic and should just spray the lot. So I hope you get some answers!!

just been reading an article in grow your own magazine
"New or rare strains of disease will probably increase. Some have already made their appearance, rusts on pears and runner beans were once uncommon complaints that were more widespread across the channel "
all to do with climate change, more rain and warmer conditions
unfortunately, it doesn't give a cure  :-\

Quote from: manicscousers on June 24, 2008, 20:41:51
just been reading an article in grow your own magazine
"New or rare strains of disease will probably increase. Some have already made their appearance, rusts on pears and runner beans were once uncommon complaints that were more widespread across the channel "
all to do with climate change, more rain and warmer conditions
unfortunately, it doesn't give a cure  :-\

Thanks. I've noticed while watering a friend's allotment (he's on holiday) that he has the same thing. We may just have to learn to live with it.

I spotted a few rusty patches on one of my pears today. Nothing to worry about, but it'll bear watching.

There are certainly a few 'unusual' things happening. I do have a personal theory that it is since the new rules on pesticides and fungicides came in.

There is an 'organic tree wash' which is sprayed at the end of December/beginning of January available. It works on all fruit trees when they are in their most dormant stage. We use it every year and have been clear of fruit tree problems ever since.

From reading about tree 'bad things' The suggestion is that when the leaves fall, collect them all and burn them. This, it seems, prevents the problem being harboured to the following year to re-infect the foliage.

It certainly can't do any harm, and a lot of the foliage diseases do seem to overwinter on dead leaves. Diseased fruit ditto.

Quote from: PurpleHeather on June 25, 2008, 21:01:11
There are certainly a few 'unusual' things happening. I do have a personal theory that it is since the new rules on pesticides and fungicides came in.

There is an 'organic tree wash' which is sprayed at the end of December/beginning of January available. It works on all fruit trees when they are in their most dormant stage. We use it every year and have been clear of fruit tree problems ever since.

From reading about tree 'bad things' The suggestion is that when the leaves fall, collect them all and burn them. This, it seems, prevents the problem being harboured to the following year to re-infect the foliage.

That sounds useful.  Do you have a name for the "organic tree wash" please?

Check out this link: http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/forums/showthread.php?p=150173

hiya, bizzybizzybee, welcome to the site  ;D

Quote from: bizzybizzybee on June 26, 2008, 12:43:10
Check out this link: http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/forums/showthread.php?p=150173

Thanks bizybizzybee.  So it's pear trellis rust.  Not heard of that before.  I'll concentrate on making sure the tree is well fed.  Looking on the bright side, the fruits are forming well, although there aren't as many as the bumper crop last year. ;)

There aren't many junipers around in Birmingham, apart from possibly the odd garden specimen, so I suspect whatever my tree has will be some other form of rust. Whatever, it isn't doing much harm.

Quote from: Paul Long on June 25, 2008, 16:55:12

Quote from: manicscousers on June 24, 2008, 20:41:51
just been reading an article in grow your own magazine
"New or rare strains of disease will probably increase. Some have already made their appearance, rusts on pears and runner beans were once uncommon complaints that were more widespread across the channel "
all to do with climate change, more rain and warmer conditions
unfortunately, it doesn't give a cure  :-\

Thanks. I've noticed while watering a friend's allotment (he's on holiday) that he has the same thing. We may just have to learn to live with it.

Here's a fairly recent pic of my pear tree.  You can see the rust but the pears are forming well despite it all.[attachment=1]