What part of WA?

Western WA - Tacoma area
Thanks

Sounds like fire blight. I've never had it on my trees. Search the forum there's been lots of discussion on fire blight. FB is a bacteria and responds to antibiotic sprays at bloom time to control the outbreak.

Henry:

Good advice from Ace. Blackened blossoms sounds like fireblight to me, but it is curious that the disease has not progressed to the rest of the tree. Quite frequently, when fireblight enters a blossom cluster, that is what happens.

Fungicides normally have little to no effect on a bacterial disease like fireblight, which requires a bactericide such as agricultural streptomycin, applied early in the blossom season.

There may be some differences of opinion on this, but I believe that one or more dormant sprays with a strong copper solution such as Kocide (not the liquid stuff) helps to control overwintering fireblight. I can't prove this, but am convinced fireblight has been reduced on my apples by dormant copper sprays, even though it is technically a fungicide. It may be worthwhile to apply a couple of copper sprays this winter, followed by an antibiotic spray at blossom time if you want to try to save the tree.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I find it curious that only blossums are affected and FB does not progress into new vegetative wood. Does FB behave like this in the west? I am skeptical about on-line diagnosis- I would send a sample to my cooperative extension or at least post photos here.

Harvestman, thats right there is a diagnostic service in my Sufflk County Cooperative extension. I think the fee is $7 and the lab is a few miles away so I could drop it off. But Henry shouldn't wait for the Hosui to bloom again to have it tested. He should spray streptomycin at bloom.

Harvestman, I take that back(after the Joe kicked in). Blossom rot is probably fungal not fireblight.

Jellyman, my 4lb package of Kocide 3000 has Fungicide/Bacteriacide printed right on the front label. The inner label lists dormant control of fireblight as well as the fungal diseases and bacterial Canker. Worth spraying just to save one good tree from canker.

I sometimes get a blossum rot on Asians here under certain conditions- I think warm and wet. Hasn't happened for quite a while and I've never treated it- not that crazy about Asians- all sugar, no bouquet. I'll eat a handfull of my Korean Giants (actually one is two handfulls) and a couple of the earlier ripening ones I grow and give the rest away. Plenty of people love them and can never get really ripe ones from a store around here. I used to love them until I had an unlimited supply.

Harvestman, I can eat one Apple and be full. The Asian pears
are crisp, clean and refreshing. I always eat a few at a time, they're addicting.

Sounds like blossum blast to me. Isnt that prevalent in the northwest? Just my two cents.

Scape

Ace:

You don't have to convince me to use Kocide as a dormant spray. I have been using it for 5 years now, and would not let a dormant season pass without two spaced-out applications of a strong Kocide solution. Both pome and stone fruits. It's just a good preventive measure.

What causes me some doubt is how an effective fungicide can also be an equally effective bactericide. Obviously, dormant spraying, even with the best and brightest materials, is not going to solve all the problems of the following growing season. That is why I think it is prudent, in areas where fireblight has been a serious problem, to spray apples with a bactericide such as streptomycin at blossom time and again a week or 10 days later.

I have seen claims that neem oil is an effective insecticide, fungicide and bactericide, when it is none of the above.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thanks for all the great advice. I hadn't heard of using streptomycin before. Looks like this tree is reprieved for at least one more year. I'll try the Kocide as a dormant spray in the Fall and late Winter, followed by streptomycin at bud break and bloom. Sound reasonable?
Streptomycin is not harmful to bees is it?

Henry:

Streptomycin will not harm bees. I keep a couple hives of honeybees here. I can't really be certain that your problem is fireblight and not one of the other problems mentioned above, but strep is worth a try before taking the tree out.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Strep has to be timed precisely as I understand it, (here Cornell instructs commercial growers when an application is warranted) and you still have scant evidence of even having fireblight- I doubt you do. If it is actually a fungus problem and not FB it can be easily dealt with.

Every fireblight infectcion I've seen includes the flagging of new growth. Ask for some local guidence from a commercial type consultant in your area through your cooperative extention. There's probably someone you can reach by phone who will be happy to help you and can work from your description of symptoms.

simple. you need a pollinator try a bartlett