North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

Please feel free to share differing stories – but we have fireblight here, and I’ve found that fertility seems to help – at least layering compost on the soil in fall, does.  I think that helps the trees’ defenses, and doesn’t cause a sudden growth spurt.  Of course, I need to follow a spray program, too.  Not that this is specific to you – you may not want to dump compost on your lawn…

 

Even though you’re not fertilizing the tree, roots don’t stay put – they’re under your lawn many feet from the tree, and when you fertilize the lawn, you’re fertilizing the tree.  I would try using slow-release organic fertilizer on the lawn, to hopefully make both the lawn and trees happier.

 

Stephen

---

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Deb Schneider
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 8:00 AM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] slow growing pears

 

I have 3 pear trees all planted about 3 years ago.  One, a Comice is growing well...lots of leaves and new shoots every year and it has flowered twice.  15 feet away (same soil and conditions) ia a Ure pear that begrudgingly leafs out every year but does not seem to send out much in the way of shoots.  Third is a Warren pear (in a triangle 15 feet away)--same slow growth.  All are on Pyrus communis rootstock.

 

Because fireblight is a big problem in this area, I have resisted fertilizing these trees.  They get plenty of water, have an open, sunny location.  I have not mulched around them as they are planted in lawn.

 

Any suggestions on bringing on some better growth without promoting fireblight?

 

Thanks

 

deb (zone 5 or 6 depending on the map) in SE Ohio