Fruit Stakes

We have been fighting fire blight on our apple trees for years.  Once it gets into the trees it is very hard to fight off.  There are only two ways that I can find.

  

One, cut off all branches with withered leaves.  The cut has to be 6 inches below the infection and you must dip the blades of the clippers in a bleach and water mixture between each cut.  This prevents the blades from spreading the infection.

  

Two, spray with Fertilome.  It only helps to spray right when the buds on the tree emerge in spring until they flower.  I sprayed every 3 to 4 days at that time.  And still I get more blight on my branches.

  

This year, in addition to spraying, I will be adding some fertilizer.  The theory being that a strong plant can fight off disease easier.  Of course it could be that a healthy plant will push the blight throughout the tree.

  

Lee helped by using a heavy pole to make a hole deep enough to drop in the fertilizing stake.  You can pound them in, but if the soil is too hard, the stake will break.  You place them around the tree at the drip line, or as far out as the branches grow,  If you place them too close to the tree, you can burn it with the concentrated fertilizer.

  

There is no downside to this.  I help the trees or the fire blight consumes the trees.  If that happens I will I tear them out and quit fighting.

It is very discouraging.  We have had these trees for about 5 years and they are just getting to the point where they should be producing a significant number of apples.  I no longer complain about the hight cost of fruit and vegetables.

Last Spray

I sprayed the apple and pear trees for the last time this morning.  I like to do it in the morning, before the wind picks up.  They have all been hit pretty hard with fire blight.  I tried the organic method of getting rid of it.  This involves cutting each and every branch 6 inches below any area with blight.  I lost huge portions of the trees and it still came back each year. 

 

Then I was told, at Southern States, about Fertilome.  The county extension agent didn't tell me about it.  I asked a landscape guy and he told me to tear out the trees. No other store I went to and asked told me.  Only Southern States

 Fire blight is a bacterial infection in the trees and it needs an antibiotic...Fertilome. 

  

Baby apple

I have sprayed every 4 or 5 days since they just started to bud out.  The Fertilome container says I can stop when they develop fruit.  That looks like fruit.  I'm stopping.



Baby pear

The trees look way better.  There are a few branches I intend to cut off, but that will have to wait until Lee brings back the Mule where the tools are in the glove compartment. 

 

He is working on the barn for our new tenant.  I am excited to have horses here, again. Especially when I don't have to scoop up after them and carry heavy bags of grain and shavings.

Spraying Time Again

Well, spring has sprung.  Or at least spring has started to think about springing.  In the starting blocks.

 

For us, this means it is time to start spraying.  We have been plagued with Fire Blight in our apples.  And in our one pear.  At first I didn't know what to do about it.  I went to the county extension agent and learned what it was, but they had no help as to combating it.  All they said I could do was to cut off the infected branches.  I did that.  And pity the poor trees.  We had to cut off whole branches and then burn the cuttings.

 

The next year it came back.  I was all over the internet and no help.  Then I spoke to the person in charge of the plants at Southern States.  She told me about Fertilome. 

 

Fire Blight is a bacterial infection that withers the leaves and branches in the infected trees.  Fertilome is basically an antibiotic that can fight off the infection.  The only time it helps is to spray the tree just when it starts to bloom and all through the blooming season.  You stop spraying when you see the fruit.  You have to spray every 3 to 5 days.

 

Because you are spraying way up into the tops of the trees, if there is any wind, you get the stuff in your face.  The package has dire warnings about washing up with water for 10 to 15 minutes if any comes in contact with your skin or eyes.  I got a bit on my face and washed it off with a wet paper towel.  I guess I should do it again.  And maybe run it over my hair.  I didn't get a lot so I hope that is sufficient.  I'm hoping the warnings are an excess of caution due to our litigious society.

This is our second year of spraying and I hope it does the job.  The trees are getting to the age when we should have a decent crop.  If I hadn't cut off most of the branches on some of them.  And if we don't get another blighted year.  I have been fighting it for about three years and I am getting tired of seeing the poor trees looking so bedraggled.

One of the arborists I called to help me suggested removing the trees.  I'm not ready to give up.  I want some fruit off my trees!!!