Should I just cut these trees down?

[Gemma]

Hello again everyone!

I have an apple and a pear tree that I got maybe 15yrs ago and have never really done well, I'm wondering if I should just cut them down and plant something different
The apple tree put out lots of flowers but the fruit rot when very tiny and the leaves are covered in bugs or diseases.
The pear tree never bloomed until 2 yrs ago when it put out maybe 10 blooms and produced 3 pears. I've tried to follow different advises over the years, pruning in different ways, in different seasons, spraying the plants with different products, nothing has worked!
Should I just cut them down and be done with it, or is there something else I could try?
edited to add: both of these trees are supposed to be self pollinating...and I did try the winter oil

 

[Chuck]

Hello again everyone! View attachment 48317
I have an apple and a pear tree that I got maybe 15yrs ago and have never really done well, I'm wondering if I should just cut them down and plant something different
The apple tree put out lots of flowers but the fruit rot when very tiny and the leaves are covered in bugs or diseases.
The pear tree never bloomed until 2 yrs ago when it put out maybe 10 blooms and produced 3 pears. I've tried to follow different advises over the years, pruning in different ways, in different seasons, spraying the plants with different products, nothing has worked!
Should I just cut them down and be done with it, or is there something else I could try?
edited to add: both of these trees are supposed to be self pollinating...and I did try the winter oil

On the apple tree, what size are the little apples when they either dry out or rot. The size of a pea or larger? Both apples and pears require chilling hours and it sounds like your trees are possibly not receiving the proper amount. Where do you live and what are the varieties of the apple and pear trees? As far as the leaves being covered in insects or diseases what exactly is happening? Is it aphids or scale or something else. What do the leaves look like when they are covered in disease? Insects can cause fruit trees to abort blooms and damage young fruit but we must know what they are before we can determine which plan of action to take to eliminate them. This spring take pictures so we will know what to do.

 

[treeguy]

Fruit trees are easy to grow. Fruit, on the other hand is a big deal, and that's why we don't all just have our own little orchard. It ain't cheap. If you want to grow apples like the big boys you have to spray every ten days or so, and monitor critter levels continuously. I don't know about pears, but most fruit trees set better fruit if pollinated by a neighbor. The newer decorative pear trees that are used now as flowering subdivision street trees are Callary pears that have fruits about 3/4" in diameter, the size of ordinary grape. If you live near a street full of them they might be ruining your pollination, I speculate. They are considered a weed tree in Europe because the tiny pears are germinating and crowding out native trees.

 

[Gemma]

On the apple tree, what size are the little apples when they either dry out or rot. The size of a pea or larger? Both apples and pears require chilling hours and it sounds like your trees are possibly not receiving the proper amount. Where do you live and what are the varieties of the apple and pear trees? As far as the leaves being covered in insects or diseases what exactly is happening? Is it aphids or scale or something else. What do the leaves look like when they are covered in disease? Insects can cause fruit trees to abort blooms and damage young fruit but we must know what they are before we can determine which plan of action to take to eliminate them. This spring take pictures so we will know what to do.

I forgot what variety of threes these are, sorry! I do know they are capable of producing decent size fruits
The leaves have black spots and mold, I did try different spray cycles and also the dormant oil, but there was no difference. Both trees are in full sun. The fruit are already rotting by the time they reach the size of a walnut, not sure how soon they start.
I live in Michigan!

This is the time I usually apply the dormant oil, this is why I decided to ask if it's even worth to do that this year

 

[Gemma]

Fruit trees are easy to grow. Fruit, on the other hand is a big deal, and that's why we don't all just have our own little orchard. It ain't cheap. If you want to grow apples like the big boys you have to spray every ten days or so, and monitor critter levels continuously. I don't know about pears, but most fruit trees set better fruit if pollinated by a neighbor. The newer decorative pear trees that are used now as flowering subdivision street trees are Callary pears that have fruits about 3/4" in diameter, the size of ordinary grape. If you live near a street full of them they might be ruining your pollination, I speculate. They are considered a weed tree in Europe because the tiny pears are germinating and crowding out native trees.

These are the 3 pears my tree produced

 

[Chuck]

I forgot what variety of threes these are, sorry! I do know they are capable of producing decent size fruits
The leaves have black spots and mold, I did try different spray cycles and also the dormant oil, but there was no difference. Both trees are in full sun. The fruit are already rotting by the time they reach the size of a walnut, not sure how soon they start.
I live in Michigan!

This is the time I usually apply the dormant oil, this is why I decided to ask if it's even worth to do that this year

Lets define what we are talking about. Plant mold and mildew. Mildew is white and the only mold I know of is Sooty Mold which is black and is caused by insect excretions. Mildew is caused by airborne and soil borne fungal spores. Black spots on leaves can be from insects but usually it is a fungus i.e. black spot fungus. Living in Mich. you must have a high chilling number fruit tree. It really sounds as if you planted a medium to low chilling hour tree. Also both apple and pears usually need another tree of a different variety to set fruit. Some varieties are self pollinating but even these do much better with another pollinator close by.
This year try this. Fertilize as normal. When you first see the buds swelling spray with Neem Oil and spray weekly until the blooms open. After the blooms have opened only spray during the early morning hours because you don't want to kill the pollinators. When you see that fruit has set stop spraying with neem oil and spray with a spinosad based product like Captian Jacks. This will keep insects from damaging and making the fruit rot. If you see spots on the leaves take a good close up picture and post it here so we can determine what it is and what is causing it.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

If you are a keen gardener Gemma then by all means have a go at sorting the two trees out. I'd just take my chainsaw to them because of the hassle of spraying and the cost plus time involved; it's possibly cheaper to simply buy apples and pears at your local supermarket putting your time and effort to better use.

I have friends who spend every spare minute on their allotments mostly growing veg but every year if they have a good crop they end up giving most of the produce away but it's their way of life and they enjoy it; I'm currently planting lots of evergreen ground cover having got rid of lots of lawn now I'm more into weeding than grass cutting at least until the ground cover becomes established. Our immediate neighbour struggles with her apple trees fighting bugs and mould every year never getting a decent crop.

Good luck with whatever you decide; the keen gardeners here on the forum are only too willing to help with suggestions and information; I'm more of a workshop guy than a gardener.

Depending on the trunk size of your apple and pear trees fruit tree timber is perfect for woodturning?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Gemma]

This year try this. Fertilize as normal. When you first see the buds swelling spray with Neem Oil and spray weekly until the blooms open. After the blooms have opened only spray during the early morning hours because you don't want to kill the pollinators. When you see that fruit has set stop spraying with neem oil and spray with a spinosad based product like Captian Jacks. This will keep insects from damaging and making the fruit rot. If you see spots on the leaves take a good close up picture and post it here so we can determine what it is and what is causing it.

Thank you, Chuck, I will look for those products and try your advise.

Hi,

If you are a keen gardener Gemma then by all means have a go at sorting the two trees out. I'd just take my chainsaw to them because of the hassle of spraying and the cost plus time involved; it's possibly cheaper to simply buy apples and pears at your local supermarket putting your time and effort to better use.

I have friends who spend every spare minute on their allotments mostly growing veg but every year if they have a good crop they end up giving most of the produce away but it's their way of life and they enjoy it; I'm currently planting lots of evergreen ground cover having got rid of lots of lawn now I'm more into weeding than grass cutting at least until the ground cover becomes established. Our immediate neighbour struggles with her apple trees fighting bugs and mould every year never getting a decent crop.

Good luck with whatever you decide; the keen gardeners here on the forum are only too willing to help with suggestions and information; I'm more of a workshop guy than a gardener.

Depending on the trunk size of your apple and pear trees fruit tree timber is perfect for woodturning?

Kind regards, Colin.

Hello, Culin
I think I will give these trees one more try with Chuck's advise, and if I see no improvement then your chainsaw advise will be next in line
PS. I love your garden and woodwork!