HELP !! Brown spot on pear trees

[Normans Mum]

Hi I need advice please. I know very little about fruit trees.
On our plot we have two pear trees,both are a dessert pear. Last year we had quite a few pears from both trees. This year, plenty of blossom, followed by an abundance of fruitlets which were then all blown off in the horrendous winds we had in March/April.
However, what is concerning me more, is the brown spot which seems to have affected virtually all of the leaves on both of my trees. is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening again next year and after? I cleared away windfalls and burned affected leaves and fed both my trees earlier, when fruitlets has formed. I don't really know what else to do !

[FB.]

It's probably the fungal disease scab. It thrives in damp climates.
Pears are more suited to a mediterranean climate; warm, sunny and relatively dry*.

If the variety which you have is susceptible (the common varieties are susceptible to disease) then your only option is to spray an appropriate fungicide next year. This will need several applications - preferably after every wet period which lasts more than several hours.



.
*
The fact we grow pears on water-demanding Quince rootstocks is unfortunate due to Quince preferring a moist climate and not doing well in a hot dry climate of the kind where pears thrive.
Pyrus (pear-derived) rootstocks are far better suited to pears in the kind of climate where pears thrive. I would strongly recommend pears on Pyrus Communis (vigorous) and Pyrodwarf (medium vigour) stocks in drier soils in the SouthEast of the UK - an area where pears tend to do well due to drier climate.

[FB.]

Of course, it might not be such a problem next year if it isn't as wet - so you might not need to spray.

I don't know what your weather has been like relative to normal, but it's been the wettest-ever year here in Cambs - normally we're very dry.

[Normans Mum]

Yes, it's been really wet. Plus when the wind blows down across the lotty it blows anything and everything that isn't nailed down away!!

[Capsid]

I have brown spots on the leaves of my pear tree too. I thought it was pear rust? I had it last year too but not as bad and picked off the affected leaves and got a good crop. But this year is a complete disaster, no fruit at all.

[FB.]

Capsid

Your problem looks more like rust than scab. The amount of leaf area damaged is 5-10%, so not enough to be serious (an aphid attack or caterpillar attack woudl be more devigorating than a mild attack of rust or scab).
Perhaps lack of fruit is due to poor pollination.
If it's cold, honey bees can't fly. If it's windy, bees will not travel far from their nest.
Bumblebees tend to cope better with poor weather, but they stil can't perform as well as when the weather is warm, dry and calm.

[Capsid]

Capsid

Your problem looks more like rust than scab. The amount of leaf area damaged is 5-10%, so not enough to be serious (an aphid attack or caterpillar attack woudl be more devigorating than a mild attack of rust or scab).
Perhaps lack of fruit is due to poor pollination.
If it's cold, honey bees can't fly. If it's windy, bees will not travel far from their nest.
Bumblebees tend to cope better with poor weather, but they stil can't perform as well as when the weather is warm, dry and calm.

OK, that's helpful about the rust not stopping fruit forming, I was starting to get concerned that my tree was doomed.