ESSENTIALS to SURVIVE and THRIVE when FIREBLIGHT HITS.

Fireblight can kill your fruit trees. Pears and Apples are most often affected.
Learn to recognize it, remove it, properly choose your fruit trees and possible outcomes if your trees get it.
------------------------
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[@AtlasReburdened]

R.I.P. Anonymous chicken. We barely knew thee.

[@j.f.8269]

"Even though you love it, sometimes you have to let it go." - This is a striking bit of wisdom that applies to so much more than pear trees.

[@Maspets]

Life is miserable.

[@christinaharmon8778]

Thank you for this timely and informative video. I just noticed this on one of my pear trees this past weekend, and thought it was due to the excessively hot summer we're having. I will be trimming out the branches ASAP!!!

[@lisanowakow3688]

It’s amazing, the moss on the tree has also died out on the bark of the tree fighting back, but only where there is fire blight.

[@CustomGardenSolutions]

Great information about fire blight I didn't know much about it. Thanks for sharing. 😎😎😎😎

[@TherealSakuraKei]

I need to research this. ☆ First time I heard about fireblight. Thank you so much for your information!!! Wishing you all the best

[@my_permaculture]

As always super helpful! Thank you so much.

[@DeeSixHomestead]

I came back to rewatch this one. I have what I think is fireblight in almost every one of my 40 year old apple trees. The branches are fine but the trunks have black on them below the first branches and are oozing amber sap. The rest of the tree seems okay and new shoots are happy too. Trying to plant zone 3 hardy resistant or immune varieties is more difficult than it looks. I appreciate your take as we don't have any orchards for 50 miles or more and plan to hopefully eat the fruit for a few years while the new trees grow.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Sounds like you have a problem with borers, an insect that bores into the trunk.

[@bryanbeck3083]

Great info - thank you for sharing

[@Skashoon]

What you said is a lesson to learn for all of us. Paraphrasing: Should we fight disease? It’s natures way of removing those cultivars that are susceptible and unsuitable for the conditions at your location. I wholeheartedly agree. I hadn’t considered it but, you’re absolutely correct. I appreciate the references to the mycelium and those who have found the connections to immunity as a result. There must exist a database with this information. Now if we can inoculate with the correct mycelium when planted, we might just make headway.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

If you read the most excellent book by Sir Albert Howard called ‘soil and health’ you will realize these are not new ideas.

[@jcjdvm]

I cut back and spray with compost tea. Seems to help. It recurs in the spring, but after I spray and cut back, that's it for the year. I probably should spray in early spring.

[@edricheson]

I just found out my fig tree has it for the first year. It is quite a beautiful tree and shaped well. hopefully I can get another year out of it.

[@miketaylor3408]

According to my local extension office: Fire blight doesn’t spread tree to tree through the air. It’s a naturally occurring bacteria in the air. But it can spread on contact. You need to disinfect your clippers between cuts. It’s also okay to replant in the same spot. It can only infect trees through the air when they are flowering.

[@lesliejacobs3002]

I never know about the extension agents… ( I have visited them In many states).they are the same ones that gave out Russian olive trees in Wyoming to anyone with a pulse.. now they want you..at your cost to cut them out.

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

Bees spread it.

[@bogger5119]

I use ACV all over my garden. But I live in the south east of Ireland so it appears to be adaptable. Been growing for 12 years but no expert! I cadge cuttings from the forests and woods I walk and exercise my dogs! Naughty I know but needs must. Nature is the best therapy for mind, body and soul!

[@Etcetorize]

Great info! I have fire blight on my apple trees and it spread to my cherry tree. 🙁 The apples seem to be doing ok now but I don’t think the cherry tree is going to make it. I was hoping to find a way to bring it back to life but your info will help me accept the inevitable if it comes to the worst.

[@richardoder3459]

Picking up Paw Paws put it in a basket! Such a great fruit but they do take a long time too fruit.

[@karenberry7143]

When you prune the fire blight limbs out, do you dip your pruners into a disinfectant of some kind so it doesn't infect the healthy section at the site of the next cut? I really learn a lot from your blogs(?). I wish I had heard of you back when my husband was alive and we had 10 acres with our home. We sure could have used your knowledge. May God bless your for sharing your knowledge.

[@georgekallis3337]

Should always use H2O2 hydrogen peroxide (which is a water molecule with an added oxygen atom) which kills all bacteria, fungus, mold, viruses and the rest, especially if you want to stay organic. Chemicals are really bad and chlorine used in pools have been linked to cancer and other ailments. In fact chlorine and fluoride displace iodine from the body which is needed for a healthy active thyroid, and pretty much everyone is iodine deficient. You can even water trees and plants with added H2O2 to add oxygen to the soil, helps with root rot. You can buy 3% everywhere (people used to use it as a mouth wash or for cuts decades a go) or large container of 50% (which will burn you) and dilute 1 part to 12 or 13 to make 3%. 3% may be diluted 1 to 9 to get it to 0.3%, it's trial and error.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

It’s best to do so, I try to do so between trees, not between limbs.

[@vickey1814]

Thanks for such great information , actually I have seen first time this particular desease speciealy in my 🍐 pear plant...that time I did not HV any idea about fire blight... And I was worried about...

[@mattcappel4776]

Thanks for all the good and timely information on fireblight!! I have been battling it on my Asian pears this year in southern Ohio and was considering going nuclear with chemicals or just go this route and prune way back and if they die so be it... I feel much better about not going chemical happy. I learned a good lesson about keeping fireblight immune / resistant pears and apples going forward. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us! Now I know how best to prune it and give the tree the best chance, but also being realistic. Thank you Stefan!

[@gmaster716]

fungal dominated compost tea foliar applications

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Bill I used fungal aerated compost tea for 5 years, you reminded me we didn’t see any in those years. Maybe I need to go back to it, thanks.

[@gmaster716]

Hey Matt Cappel: Never go nuclear with chemicals, as you probably already know you'll be resetting your soil and putting a Band-Aid on the problem my suggestion would be fungal dominated compost teas apply as root drench and a foliar application twice a week right before and during bloom,the biofilm will form a protective layer from disease. Although if you don't make this aerated compost tea correctly you'll be spinning your wheels and will not aee good results.. if you have anymore questions let me know I have years of experience dealing with all sorts of blight and infections Take care Keep it o.g Feed the soil not the plant

[@gmaster716]

@@StefanSobkowiak : Good morning to you sir, Your videos are very enlightening and entertaining as well as educational, I really feel certain on applying the aerated compost teas for your fire blight and many other conditions.... I have lots of experience dealing with infectionist plants and trees and can tell you first-hand as you already know and stated... it will work for you.. my suggestion would be go back to your compost teas, the biofilm on a foliar spray will seal the blooms from any infections, Also I know from personal experience if I over prune certain plants and trees a lot they're prone to more infection. Also what area are you from? I am in Pennsylvania right outside Philadelphia in the countryside. Thanks again keep educating the youth I'd love to get a tour of the orchard sometime.... Take care, Bill k

[@mattcappel4776]

@@gmaster716 Thank you so much for the information Bill and Stefan for the confirmation. I would love to know more about how to make the compost tea specifically, I do a lot of composting. Would using large amounts of compost as a top dressing for the top few inches be able to accomplish the same results?

[@Kay-xi9kv]

Thanks so much for this video. My young fruit trees seem to be infected, and I wasn’t sure whether to take them out completely. Don’t think the wait-and-see approach is wise after watching your video

[@arthurdewith7608]

fire blight has destroyed pear plantings here in Ontario no one grows pears anymore in Ontario were there is regular blossom time rains pears is strictly grown commercially in dry climates with irrigaton

[@terijean6351]

Great info! Awesome to see such a big herd of deer run behind you!

[@arthurdewith7608]

deer oh joy there goes my fruit buds in the winter into the deer stomach

[@terijean6351]

@@arthurdewith7608 well it's a good thing some of them aren't giraffes.

[@Ohsage1111]

New sub. Reason 1: love the info. Reason 2: love the accent ❤️❤️❤️

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Accent?

[@dennispovloski8102]

Great information once again. Do you have a video on how to remove a tree when it's time to pull one out and replace it? Thank you!

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I don't. I usually just cut it down and let it resprout from the base.

[@annebeck2208]

I had peach leaf curl badly and was told by everyone (google and real experts) that I had to spray or the tree would die. One of the trees was problematic to spray, so I put it off and put it off, while giving it extra care. After a few months it dropped all its curled leaves and grew in new healthy leaves. Here's to NOT doing what all the experts say to do!

[@Copyright-di4we]

AI had the same problem with a peach tree. All I did was spray with bordeaux mixture just as it started to sprout and it was gone.

[@Sytb01]

@@Copyright-di4we How often?

[@Copyright-di4we]

@@Sytb01 once a year, before it grows flowers (it can be toxic to bees if you spray the flowers)

[@Copyright-di4we]

@@Sytb01 this year I'm having leaf curl again because I didn't spray it when I should

[@strouty]

@@Copyright-di4we hi could you please explain what bordeaux spray is?

[@krisyallowega5487]

I was inspecting my pear tree this morning and it does not look pretty at all. We saw woodpeckers this Spring go to town on it and I told my Dad that can't be good. "There must be a bug in there that the bird wants," was my conclusion. It has had some very tough, lean Summers with either extreme heat and strong winds tagged along with a poorly done hard pruning a number of years ago. I want to try and rejuvenate it because it had some wonderful fruit at one time. My parents planted it over 30 years ago when they moved into the house. There really is no "attachment" to it, it is almost a distraction with it's faded leaves. But I am willing to give it one good try to see what happens.

[@fezwhy]

Thank you this video was very helpful. I now know that fireblight was what killed my honeycrisp tree. Not knowing what it was at first sight I left it. Within a few weeks the whole tree was dead. I feel sad knowing I probably could have saved this tree had I of known to cut back the infected parts.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I didn’t know honeycrisp was sensitive to fireblight. Good to know.

[@freevideos051]

Its in my apple trees and it looks the worst in a small tree that I have not cut the center out so It gets more light

[@Cordelia0704p]

I wish you had posted it in the spring. By the time out found out what fire blight was my apple tree was toast

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Cordelia0704 sorry it doesn’t show up much in the spring and summer only starts in mid July here.

[@Cordelia0704p]

Stefan Sobkowiak I brought it home with it but I didn’t know what it was. Within a month it was dead. I thought it had a little powdery mildew which I can treat but once it turned dark brown like your pear trees I started doing more research and found out what fire blight was as I’ve never heard of it. Your video would have made diagnosis a lot faster! But now it’s here to help save other trees.

[@natesmom2244]

I bought my home last summer with 2 beautiful pear trees full of pears in the front of my house, this year they turned totally black. no leaves, no nothing all the way down to the bottom. It's so sad to see, it looks like it was burnt to a crisp in a fire. I am going to remove it and maybe replace it with another tree.

[@voxintenebris6367]

I currently have fireblight damage on my two Conference pear trees, I have pruned it out (or so I thought) over the past two years, but I still have to deal with it. My trees were so healthy, they were admired by the neighbours and visitors, then a new family arrived with a cat. The cat decided that the trees were the perfect scratching posts and within one season, the gouges in the bark deepened. The cat then climbed the tree and broke a main branch. Added to this, a neighbour neglects her trees which show signs of fireblight. My trees succumbed. In the UK, fireblight was a notifiable disease, but is no longer. I have read that other plants pose a risk as they act as a host - these are blackthorn, hawthorn, photinia. From what I have read, the disease is transferred, as you say by either insects or birds; it is not carried on the wind as far as I am aware. I have also read that if the soil contains too much nitrate that that does not help, the excessive leaf growth weakens the structure and resilience of the tree. I think I am guilty here, as I have not only emptied old growbags on the site but in addition, I have dug in pea roots. The tree has an abundance of long shoots (now cut back) so that may indicate excess nitrate. From a distance, my tree -with its glorious leaves - looks healthy, it even bears fruit, but it still has the problem. More pruning ahead for me. I won't give up on the trees until the balance goes in favour of cutting them down. I took the pruning opportunity to reshape them into more of an open espalier type framework, the tree seems to respond to this, so fingers crossed. Great video, I can empathise!

[@StefanSobkowiak]

You nailed it, excess nitrogen gives excess growth which favours fireblight. Try training branches to level angle instead of pruning as extra pruning will just encourage more vigour. Good luck.

[@voxintenebris6367]

@@@StefanSobkowiak Thanks for the reply. Yes, although I tell others to be wary of the build up of fertilisers and thus salts in the soil, I forget that it happens with the natural forms, such as nitrogen fixing bacteria on the pea roots. I have trained the tree now, but I need to lay off the feeding, may take a while to right itself. Thanks again, Vox.

[@drewblack749]

As an experiment, what might strengthen those trees such as removing the fruit early on? You may give especially the young ones a better chance of survival. Have you tried this in the past? Thanks for another informative and provocative video.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Drew Black never tried. You try it and let me know how it works.

[@loquat44-40]

I know how to deal with fireblight in northwest Florida, but what works for me might not be the solution for southern Canada. I know what cultivars are resistant and this is for larger trees. Any tree when it is a recent graft can die, but our rootstocks usually do not and can be regrafted. There are exceptions, but the resistant stop usually stop the fireblight that it does not infect the entire tree. Keiffer pears often gets it, but most mature trees will recover. Less susceptible trees like Orient, Olton Broussard, Southern Bartlett (not a true bartlett), Leona, Golden Boy, Hood, Tenns, Tennoshi, Acres Home, and many other pears for the deep south will handle fire blight. But these pears probably for most of them are too early in blooming for southern canada with the exception likely of keiffer and orient that seem to grow anywhere.

[@jesserahimzadeh4298]

Completely unscientific but I wonder what the effects of spraying biologically active compost teas onto the affected trees as a way to have beneficial organisms compete with the blight and limit it.

[@gmaster716]

fungal dominated compost tea

[@gmaster716]

@Klaa2 doesn't matter though for those type of trees fungal dominated still has bacteria just not as much the ratios are different this will allow the tree to heal if you to follow your applications twice a week

[@filipou1000]

it usually enter by flowers and get to the vascular system- There is some bacterial spray that act as a shield but its not 100% success

[@arthurdewith7608]

@Klaa2 yes and there is no predator for fire blight

[@AtlasReburdened]

@@arthurdewith7608 I think the proposition isn't necessarily to add a predator, but instead to wage a statistical war of attrition via random competition.

[@bz1632]

Thanks for this and all your videos! What is your experience with pear slug / sawfly, the little black critters that eat the upside of pear and cherry leaves?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I’ve seen pear slug wiped out by earwigs. Will be adding hiding places for earwigs on pear trees.

[@bz1632]

@@StefanSobkowiak Thanks for the tip! What are some good hiding places for earwigs? Rock piles?

[@NMW80]

@@StefanSobkowiak wait ear wigs eat slugs? Wow I thought the ear wigs were a pest and they have been eating my fruit tree leaves.

[@robertbrawley5048]

What type of tool is best for embossing a name on an aluminum can label? .A Phillips head screwdriver a hard wood stick?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

A ballpoint pen. We now use metal letter punches joined with an elastic. Clear, quick and long lasting.

[@PiotrTymkow]

You showed us that you have plums. Could you please talk about black knot and other plums diseases?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Yes I hope to do a video on black knot. We will finish harvest then do a removal of black knot and film the process.

[@lynxacres1293]

Awesome video! I was wondering, where do you get those metal tags for the trees? What kind of metal are they? And do you engrave them yourself? Thanks!

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Lynx Acres get them from C Frensch in Ontario, Canada. They’re aluminum, I use a letter punch set to stamp them.

[@lynxacres1293]

Stefan Sobkowiak thanks! :)

[@paulx2777]

try beer or pop cans

[@paulmvn5431]

Do you have an update on these trees?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

The ones that were hit either died and were cut or recovered and still show signs of having had it but seem immune now. Some I will no longer plant although I liked a lot (conference, summercrisp)

[@hashithemoodyhusky3881]

How do you differentiate between sunburn/sun scald vs fireblight damage to the main trunk?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I have a video about sunscald (observation to save you time and money). Sunscald is at the base of the tree, Fireblight starts at the top or at branch tips and moves down. If you didn’t notice burned branches in summer then it’s sunscald.

[@kobytieth8518]

Mycelium/bacteria related, what if the black ground cover weakens the trees and encourages strange bacteria infections like fireblight? Other permaculture folks use nitrogen fixing ground cover plants like hog peanut. Im no farmer but it seems like the black covers are not natural and would encourage strange bacteria mycelium related disease. Could experiment this on high fireblight pear tree

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Good point, try it and let me know how it turns out after year 8.

[@KathySarich]

Crap... I was really hoping that it was a pest issue and not disease, apparently it’s fireblight that killed my crabapple tree, and is now killing my Norland apple tree. 🙈 The Norland has had it for about 10 years already, it was only a couple years old when I noticed it on the trunk, just didn’t know what I was looking at, branches didn’t start dying until this year. 🙈

[@Reignforest87]

Do you know if there is a safe way to dispose of branches without contamination, other than possibly a wood stove?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

If you chip them and hot compost them that would work.

[@happytomeetyou.3027]

I wonder if populating a the leaves and bark with another bacteria like lactobacillus might out compete the invader? Cheers from Texas

[@robertbrawley5048]

For those that have the time would growing a fire blight immune tree replacing the branches with grafted varieties that are susceptible to fire blight that get fire blight would the fire blight go in to the trunk of the original tree?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Probably not if grafted before the original tree gets it.

[@lesliejacobs3002]

Please NAME the pear varieties that are immune..it would cut down on the search time..THANKS

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Patten, our cider pear and a round pear that we never found the name.

[@homesteadrevivals]

If it's a rare old variety, can we look for some healthy scions to remove and graft to another tree? Or are we likely to transfer fire blight to the other tree?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Depends on how far it’s spread. When you cut a branch look for the black, as long as it’s still black keep cutting.

[@jwrightgardening]

I find it really funny that the KZbin ad that played at the beginning of this video was for an array of chemical pesticides to wipe out pesky insects in one's lawn and garden. 😒😜

[@cz7rg8]

Nice spider.

[@511eden]

Just like your video's of ants are indicators of._____. Disease is also an indicator of vitamin/ mineral deficiency. Or indicator of toxic overload etc this is true in humans and animals and makes sense plants also

[@georgekallis3337]

Has fire blight affected your non grafted pear trees, you may want to experiment. “The microbe is nothing. The terrain is everything.” Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) is purported to have made this statement on his deathbed. The origin of the quote is attributed to Claude Bernard (1813-1878), a physiologist and contemporary of Pasteur. By quoting Bernard, Pasteur was recanting his germ theory, a theory that assigned the cause of disease to microbes invading and reeking havoc on the body, with specific germs causing specific diseases. In contrast to Pasteur, Claude Bernard and Antoine Bechamp (1816-1908), another contemporary of Pasteur, believed disease was a condition of imbalance in the internal terrain of body. Bernard and Bechamp emphasized the context or environment in which germs lived and not the germs. On the one hand, if the terrain was balanced (homeostatic), then germs could not flourish. On the other hand, if the terrain were out of balance, then germs would thrive. In short, germs do not cause disease. Instead, they are a sign of the diseased conditions of the terrain and not the cause of those conditions (see Stockton, 2000).

[@georgekallis3337]

Claude Bernard@Klaa2 That's what I said. Pasteur acknowledges that he was wrong and his opposition Claude Bernard was right all along.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

George Kallis you’re right most disease is due to mineral deficiency, especially micronutrients.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

@Klaa2 sounds like your a microbiologist. I'll bite, so what's the reason disease appears or not on a tree.

[@rickershomesteadahobbyfarm3291]

Did the trees recover? How did the tree at 9:10 do? Did it recover?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Yes it did.

[@Skashoon]

Perhaps the cuttings could be made into biochar. This returns a waste product into a benefit, permaculture 101. Just a thought. Biochar is then added to compost.

[@bksidhu6437]

That big pear tree is a born warrior. While watching it I said to myself, if nature wants it to be gone then why would it let the tree bear fruits, then I realized that it must have been fighting the Fireblight from the beginning as a plant, it succeeded in suppressing it before bearing little fruits and when it started producing lot of fruits it must have gotten little weaker, just like a mother would get weaker when bearing a baby. I'm really hoping it would win this long lasting war and stand there like a proud warrior, if so you can use the seeds to plant new ones and this time they r born immune to Fireblight that would be awesome to watch. So till now it is fighting on it's own but now it has the help of human to fight it (cutting those infected one's)....does it mean it has more chance to win the war?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Wanna be Trader I’m not sure, I’ve found trees, plants, animals and humans all work similarly when responding to disease. I guess that’s where the expression comes from what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’.

[@helenriley3653]

How do you get to help to stop it.

[@a2sum4fun74]

WE MOVED TO A NEW PLACE THIS SPRING WE HAVE AN OLDER APPLE TREE HAS APPROX 1/3 OF THE CANOPY APPEARS TO HAVE VARIOUS STAGES OF FIRE PLIGHT CAN I CUT THAT MUCH OF THE TREE OUT AT ONE TIME OR WHAT TO YOU SUGGEST ?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

You can cut off 1/3. It’s a big renewal and it will get a growth spurt or die.

[@benjobello]

Great video, thank you!! I love your logic on disease and pests👍🏾

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Thanks, it’s not my logic I learned it from Sir Albert Howard in his amazing books.

[@ClintL63]

Stefan: Skeeters and the blackfly love the color blue and cheap scented shampoo; use deer hunter shampoo and dont wear BLUE!

[@StefanSobkowiak]

ClintL63 hahaha i usually wear red and wash my hear once a week with a great shampoo. Tried everything, it’s my rare blood, the skeeters are looking for something exotic once in their life.

[@razpet20]

9:10 is that "spider" drawn on the plastic container intentionally, and if so, what purpose does it serve?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Good eyes! It's a live daddy longlegs.

[@vf5126]

I’d learned through research that no pear tree is immune to Fireblight, only more or less susceptible. Also, high fertilization (usually chemical) creates larger spaces between cells and allows Fireblight to set in easier. I no longer fertilize my Asian pear with my other fruit trees, and having recovered from F-blight, it’s done well.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Makes sense, what’s the paper on the research?

[@Bernie5172]

Fire blight is not present in Australia.

[@michaelnorwood9509]

Seemed like a lot!?! Could the soil be contaminated? If so, what can we do to regenerate the soil

[@AnimeShinigami13]

or you could just cut down the vulnerable trees and leave the most resistant, then breed new young trees, graft them and sell them. "Fireblight resistant apple and pear trees!"

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Or simpler to just do a good search before buying to know which are resistant and only buy those.

[@karenberry7143]

By the way do you have a resident herd of deer on your property? I thought I saw them crossing the lane behind you a bit before your renark about the skunk having killed a chicken.

[@bank80]

Those were chickens

[@timbushell8640]

@@bank80 mini Velociraptors : ))))

[@bank80]

@@timbushell8640 I know right. Stay out of the tall grass.

[@vmcshannon]

And I thought I only had to worry about cedar Apple rust. I planted two apple ( red and golden) last year. This year I sprayed for car. Did good. They were only babies so no fruit. But the yellow is Looking totally dead after one week of the leaves turning brown. 🙁. Now I think it’s fire blight. So I think that means I shouldn’t grow apples. ?

[@delphzouzou4520]

That means you should try to find fireblight resistant apple trees. There are many cultivars, probably some are more resistant than others.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

no, it means you do your research and find a resistant cultivar of apple.

[@Melissa0774]

How do German Seckel pears typically do, compared to other cultivars? If you have a tree that doesn't seem to be affected that badly, can it be ok, if you remove all the affected branches? I left you a comment on another video yesterday, because I have a German Seckel pear tree that hasn't produced in two years. Now that I'm watching this video, I'm thinking this is probably what's wrong with it. But I don't think it's that bad, though, because it seemed to only be in the branches on one side and the other side was growing and blossoming fine. But that was last year. Hopefully it'll be ok this year too. I'll see what happens in Spring. I also want to get a second pear tree to help with pollination, in case that has been an issue for me, too. What cultivar would you suggest, if I do get a second one? Also, when is the best time of year to cut off the diseased branches, if you're hopeful that you might actually have a pear crop that year? Should I do it in the early spring, before it buds, or after it blossoms?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Cut it now, before it wakes up. You want a pear that’s disease resistant as much as possible (pear scab and fireblight), I like Patten for that.

[@Melissa0774]

@@StefanSobkowiak I'll try to do it as soon as the snow melts, then. It's hard to tell where the dead part is, when the tree is still dormant, though.

[@2outta3aintbad96]

Would a really cold winter kill off the Blight. Maybe those affected closer to the winter survive better at being able to out grow it.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Well we’ve had -38c as our lowest winter temps since I’ve been farming.

[@2outta3aintbad96]

@@StefanSobkowiak Did you notice any difference then summer wise with the Blight after the colder snaps. I also feel once you cut the branches it opens up the tree to the air and more infection. I feel wrapping the affected area in plastic with treatment kept inside the plastic for a few days before cutting might be better to stop the open wound to the air. Or better to cut out the areas in colder climates when the bacteria is most dormant. I am very much more northern than you zone 4/5 and when ever we cut a tree anywhere we still paint the open wound with a non toxic paint to stop any bacteria , fungus, insect ETC to help the tree heal.

[@gabriellakadar]

Is that why the other chickens were running across in the background? eeek, skunk! Looks like fireblight goes for stressed out trees.

[@djangoapple8230]

🤔 my thinking/dynamic thinking could lead me to believe that a fungus could help fight fire blight. However, since you already have it, you'll always have it. My first thought was not depending on fungus at all. If fungus wanted it, it would be there. Looked to me like fungus showed up after the trees were dead. I would use sulfur, zinc, copper, etc.. I have livestock and feed mineral. The label reads like the periodic table. I often point that label out to people and tell them humans need the same minerals cows need to keep them healthy. They look at me like I'm Mork from Ork. People can't make the connection. With the exception of salt, you may want to feed your trees what you feed your cows. 🧐

[@StefanSobkowiak]

More from Ork I see what era you’re from. Exactly minerals are never over abundant or very rarely. They are the core of great taste.

[@texas77563]

ive got young fruit trees with fireblight. coconut oil is a powerfull antibacterial and antifungal so i sprayed coco oil all over the whole little tree and dusted with cinnamon. im thinking the oil will soak into the wood and work its magic.

[@WholesomeMemes]

Did it help at all? What's the status?

[@strouty]

@@WholesomeMemes I'm curieus too!

[@strouty]

And..... did it help?

[@Maspets]

@@strouty You got your answer.

[@DavidfromMichigan]

Can I cut it out during summer? My two apple trees are definitely infected. And my beautiful roses are very close to the trees. I ordered macintosh and honey crisp scions to graft on to these infected trees. My plan is to graft as soon as the scions arrive(probably a couple weeks), so I'm not worried about sucker shoots exploding upwards. Can I cut those apple trees down to the trunk, to rid the disease and still be able to graft? Also, does fire blight affect peaches? I have two young peaches close to the infected apple trees.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Doesn’t affect roses or peaches to my knowledge. Yes cut in summer and yes you can to trunk, see my overgrafting videos.

[@DavidfromMichigan]

@@StefanSobkowiak awesome. Thanks big guy. Keep up the great work. You are appreciated big time!

[@DavidfromMichigan]

@@StefanSobkowiak ok, now I am confused. There is new growth growing from the branches that are infected. Could I just have frost damage? I noticed the dying shortly after our last frost. If it was fire blight, would new growth start again? The new leaves are bright green and look healthy. Thank you for any and ALL info you provide.

[@marinakuchma6898]

Hello. Can you please recommend fireblight resistant pears?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Google is a good source. Here's a good list with many on it I have not tried : shaponline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Performance-of-New-Fire-Blight-Resistant-Pears-Bill-Shane.pdf

[@marinakuchma6898]

Thank you so much! That is what I was trying to find, but couldn't.

[@mujkocka]

How about fire mites cure?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

We had mites, when we took over the orchard. Because we stopped spraying insecticides the predators returned and within 3 years the mites were not a problem.

[@AtlasReburdened]

Sounds like you should accelerate the propagation of those blight resistant pears.

[@arthurdewith7608]

consumers will not buy those pears always has been a difficult fruit to market

[@AtlasReburdened]

@@arthurdewith7608 Too easily bruised or just from a short shelf life?

[@lesliejacobs1439]

Does it happen in pie cherry trees? Lander WY USA

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Leslie Jacobs not sure but never noticed it on cherries here.

[@lesliejacobs1439]

Stefan Sobkowiak thanks for answering

[@lesliejacobs3002]

I don’t hear you stressing disinfectant of the cutting shears.. on each cut? Or tree?…..either bleach mix or alcohol…is it necessary?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

It’s good practice to do so. I try to cut far enough back into sound wood.

[@supragolgotha6920]

Have ye tried boiling the fireblight and pouring the destroyed bacteria water over the roots to help immunity???

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Never heard of it.

[@strouty]

12:14 - 14:00 very interessant theory

[@christophergruenwald5054]

Does this apply to Coronavirus too? The strong survive while the weak genetics parish?

[@lianagilbert61]

can you grow asian pears?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Yes we have Asian pear, our best growing is 'Taylor'.

[@Neznisgip]

Would tea tree oil, and wintergreen oil be beneficial to controlling fire blight naturally?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I don’t know, never tried it. Try it and let me know.

[@NMW80]

I wonder if colloidal silver would help too? 🤔

[@honestlynate7922]

Where do you get your trees from?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

We grafted our own. Purchased and grew our own rootstock.

[@NMW80]

Can this happen to avocados? I have had this happening to my fruit trees at home.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I don’t know. Look up the diseases of avocado. They are far outside our range of trees we can grow.

[@NMW80]

@@StefanSobkowiak yes I will. I also have pear, apple, fig, olive etc too.

[@stevea5282]

Someone needs to plant the seeds from the trees that are fighting back and plant the best seeds from the seedlings of those trees. Don't know what the fruit will be.

[@GhostRiderSEA]

Has anyone here used an apple cider vinegar mix spray successfully?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

There is someone from Georgia who’s been using it successfully.

[@JohnDoe_88]

Oh geez I was wondering why as you were talking the chickens were making a mad dash behind you... RIP.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

They are predators aware or one of them found a special treat (frog, worm, mouse)

[@rudymtzjunior]

All you have to do is see it in the future that is healed from fireblight

[@Neznisgip]

Wait...skunks kill chickens? You learn something new everyday. I guess I never thought of skunks as predatory animals.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

I know they eat slugs. and that all the rats in the neighborhood mysteriously disappeared after the neighbors went nuts with rat poison and traps and then a big fat ass woodchuck moves in and I'm smelling skunks at midnight.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Skunks love easy pickings. Chickens on a roost are easy pickings. They especially love chicks and ducklings..

[@cafarmgirl3279]

@@StefanSobkowiak wow! Good to know 👍🏻

[@swannoir7949]

Fire Blight destroyed my Breaburn, Rhode Island Greening, and Gold Rush apple tree b4 I could identify it.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

It happens, choose fireblight resistance for trees in the future.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

The problem with letting disease take all the genetically inferior pears is that the cultivars are all genetically identical. There are perhaps a dozen pear varieties and four or five apple varieties that will fruit reliably in north Florida. Seedling pears typically produce tiny hard fruits that even the birds ignore.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

True but they can make great rootstock. If you have the space you never know what surprise a seedling can give.

[@tcsadt]

Are u leaving infected branches on the soil? Don’t drop them. Place directly in bag and don’t touch it with ur hands or tools.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

Have you thought about using the wood you chop down? apple and pear suckers are supposed to make good wicker. poor Bo… he meant well I'm sure. how about putting some hazels? hazels are yum. naw you aren't nuts, you're making your trees train hard and become stronger anime style!!!! :D

[@bellaroma8709]

add silver to the soil

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Perhaps, as in all additions the dose is critically important.

[@michellehamilton4075]

See all the deer running in the background? Are the deer?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Hahaha two legged jungle fowl.

[@tolbaszy8067]

How is black plastic mulch "permaculture"?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Would you prefer white or clear? Take time to learn context before jumping to conclusions. It has been key to establishing a great biodiversity at farm scale.

[@tolbaszy8067]

@@StefanSobkowiak NO PLASTIC MULCH!

[@Mrbfgray]

Are you not concerned about spreading fire blight bacteria as you brush infected limbs against healthy trees? 16:00 a robber fly!

[@StefanSobkowiak]

Good spotting and not concerned about branches.

[@lightfoot1Juke]

"Let the disease get rid of the inferior" - Covid19 came to mind.

[@VIQAN]

damn sad. 😥 PERSIMMON TREE. 😃

[@timbushell8640]

Add others to the NAP, agree - widen the diversity. The difficulty is keeping the aisle system of ripening rolling on in its simplest way, but if it were easy... ... : ))))

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I wish, persimmon is about as cold tolerant as pawpaw. Our low has been -38c, even killed 25% of the apples.

[@StefanSobkowiak]

We use the wood as firewood, we have hazels, want a lot more. Bow our make work dog.

[@666Necropsy]

glad i dont live next to a guy who lets diseases run rampant in his orchard.

[@ChacieWhat]

Blight can be a sign of having sin in our lives, as it can be a curse from God. But if we repent, it should go away.

[@kathryncastanares525]

If God curses those who sin, are you not affected by any hardships? Or are you perfect without sin? An ALL LOVING God couldn't cause such misery.

[@GrowingGreener]

Hi! I think you have the solution I am looking for! Where did you get or how did you make the metal tree tag that labels your cultivator!?

[@StefanSobkowiak]

I buy them from C French in Ontario.

[@GrowingGreener]

@@StefanSobkowiak Thanks it's a great idea. My wood sticks always fade and disappear. I found out I have the equipment and can make them on my own using dog tag blanks! I am so excited. I have been worried about losing track of all my trees and what they are. Thanks again. I appreciate all the information you put out.

[@GrowingGreener]

@@inharmonywithearth9982 Thanks. I found a great way to make them using dog tags. I am able to etch right into the tag.