AT A GLANCE
What Causes Black Leaves on Pear Trees?
Black leaves can be a symptom of Pear blossom blight, fire blight and black spot. Pear blossom smut can be controlled with an agent containing copper, black spot disease with a fungicide. Fire blight is notifiable because it spreads like an epidemic. Rarely does an early pruning help, mostly it has to be cleared.
How do I find the cause of black leaves on the pear tree?
To identify the disease with certainty, look out for other symptoms. Also examine flowers, shoots and fruits, preferably at regular intervals, to notice any changes. If you check your pear tree preventively from spring to autumn, you can detect any diseases at an early stage. There are three reasons Diseases in question: the bacterial diseases pear blossom smut and fire blight as well as the fungal disease black spot disease.
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What are the symptoms of the three diseases?
Pear Blossom Burn
- favored by frost damage
- especially late frost
- Blossoms, leaves and fruits get black spots
- fall off prematurely
Fire blight (notifiable)
- Affected shoot tips turn black
- appear burned by fire
- hang withered
- then die off completely
black spot disease
- black leaf spots
- spread to more and more leaves
How can I fight these diseases?
You can combat pear blossom smut with products containing copper. If you have black spot disease, do the following:
- Cut off and destroy affected parts of the plant
- Pear tree with special fungicide squirt
- also spray the soil around the tree (spores)
Fighting fire blight is difficult if not impossible. Young trees die within a few weeks, many older trees after a few years. You can combat a light infestation by cutting back affected parts down to healthy wood. You must clear a heavily infested pear tree.
What do I do with the black leaves and clippings?
Diseased parts of the plant, which include the black leaves, you should never compost. It is better to dispose of them as residual waste. In the case of the epidemic fire blight, the clippings should be burned become. Alternatively, it can be stored under tarpaulins after consultation with the environmental agency.
Tip
Disinfect all pruning tools to prevent further infection
When cutting diseased plant material, some pathogens stick to the blades. Disinfect the blades with 70% alcohol after cutting to kill any pathogens. Otherwise, other trees can be infected during later cutting work.
