Homeowners who have flowering pear trees should check for signs of fire blight, even if they pruned infected trees last year, says a Purdue Extension specialist in ornamental and fruit diseases.

The warm moist temperatures last spring were ideal conditions for fire blight to thrive. Trees are most susceptible to the potentially devastating disease if a freeze occurs after blooming, as happened last year. Jana Beckerman said hundreds of cases of fire blight were reported in 2012; some neighborhoods had more than 100 infected trees.

More . . .​

Purdue Agriculture News