Hi @humberboy
Thanks for your question about the black marks on your pears. Looking at typical damage patterns like this, these black wounds don't appear to be caused by disease but rather by pest damage that has subsequently developed into necrotic tissue. This is actually quite common with pears, especially when trees are stressed or when air circulation around the fruit is poor.
Understanding What You're Seeing
The black areas you're seeing are likely the result of initial damage from insects such as wasps, birds, or other pests that have punctured the skin of the fruit. Don’t panic even my pear trees get it every year or two! Depends on the weather, how hungry local garden visitors like birds get etc. I always think it’s a sign of good garden wildlife health! 😂
Once the protective skin is broken, the exposed flesh begins to oxidise and develop secondary infections, leading to the characteristic black, sunken wounds. This process is called necrosis, where the damaged tissue essentially dies and turns black as it breaks down. But you can still eat damaged fruit just cut away the black bits
The Role of Poor Air Circulation
From what you're describing, it sounds like your pear tree may need some attention when it comes to pruning and opening up the canopy structure. Poor air circulation around fruit is one of the primary contributors to these types of problems, as it creates the perfect environment for both pest damage and subsequent tissue breakdown.
Looking at the picture I’d prune out 1/4 of that growth especially the inward branches after you’ve harvested your pairs this September.
When pear trees become congested with too many branches and leaves, several issues arise that make fruit more susceptible to damage. The lack of airflow means that any wounds take longer to dry out and heal, giving bacteria and fungi the perfect moist environment to establish. Additionally, the dense foliage provides ideal hiding spots for wasps and other insects that can damage the fruit whilst remaining largely undetected.
Why Pruning is Your First Line of Defence
Opening up your pear tree through proper pruning will dramatically improve the health of your fruit by increasing air circulation and allowing better light penetration throughout the canopy. This creates conditions that are far less favourable for both the initial pest damage and the subsequent development of necrotic tissue.
When you prune to create an 'open goblet' shape with well-spaced branches, you're essentially creating a healthier microclimate around each piece of fruit. The improved airflow helps wounds dry quickly, reduces humidity levels that fungi love, and makes it much easier to spot and address pest problems before they become serious. Good pruning also allows you to remove any damaged or diseased wood that might be harbouring problems.
https://youtu.be/RMKWBu_Bxv4?si=VBnl28VKQZL9PMe9
Identifying the Likely Culprits
The pattern and appearance of damage you're seeing is most commonly caused by wasps, which are particularly drawn to sweet, ripening pears. Wasps don't just take a quick bite and leave; they often return repeatedly to the same fruit, gradually enlarging the wound and creating entry points for secondary infections.
Birds can also cause similar damage, especially if they're trying to access the sweet flesh inside. Sometimes even small flying insects or beetles can create tiny puncture wounds that develop into larger problems over time. The key is that once that protective skin is compromised, the fruit becomes vulnerable to a cascade of secondary issues that manifest as the black necrotic tissue you're observing.
Prevention Through Proper Tree Management
The best approach is prevention through good tree husbandry rather than trying to treat individual affected fruits. Start with a proper winter pruning routine that focuses on opening up the canopy and removing any congested or crossing branches. This is far more effective than trying to treat symptoms after they've appeared.
Consider also removing any fallen or damaged fruit from around the base of the tree, as these can attract wasps and other pests that then move on to attack the healthy fruit still on the tree. Keeping the area around your pear tree clean and well-maintained reduces the overall pest pressure and breaks the cycle of damage and reinfection.
Essential Fruit Tree Guides for Better Tree Health
For comprehensive guidance on maintaining healthy, productive fruit trees, explore these detailed guides:
• How to prune pear trees: beginners pruning guide - Complete pear tree pruning techniques
• How to Prune an Apple Tree: Ultimate Beginner Guide - Fundamental fruit tree pruning principles
• How to prune a fruit tree in summer - Summer maintenance pruning techniques
• Winter Vs Summer Pruning; what's the difference? - Understanding seasonal pruning strategies
• How to Prune Low-Hanging Fruit Tree Branches- Managing heavy fruit loads
• How to Prune Cherry Trees: beginner guide - Stone fruit pruning techniques
• How to prune garden plants: ultimate beginner pruning guide - General pruning principles and techniques
• Tree grafting of fruit trees; a beginners guide - Advanced fruit tree propagation
The key message here is that healthy, well-pruned trees with good air circulation rarely suffer from these types of problems. Once you address the underlying structural issues with your pear tree, you should see a dramatic improvement in fruit quality and a significant reduction in these troublesome black marks.
Happy gardening!
lee
Hi @humberboy
Thanks for your question about the black marks on your pears. Looking at typical damage patterns like this, these black wounds don't appear to be caused by disease but rather by pest damage that has subsequently developed into necrotic tissue. This is actually quite common with pears, especially when trees are stressed or when air circulation around the fruit is poor.
Understanding What You're Seeing
The black areas you're seeing are likely the result of initial damage from insects such as wasps, birds, or other pests that have punctured the skin of the fruit. Don’t panic even my pear trees get it every year or two! Depends on the weather, how hungry local garden visitors like birds get etc. I always think it’s a sign of good garden wildlife health! 😂
Once the protective skin is broken, the exposed flesh begins to oxidise and develop secondary infections, leading to the characteristic black, sunken wounds. This process is called necrosis, where the damaged tissue essentially dies and turns black as it breaks down. But you can still eat damaged fruit just cut away the black bits
The Role of Poor Air Circulation
From what you're describing, it sounds like your pear tree may need some attention when it comes to pruning and opening up the canopy structure. Poor air circulation around fruit is one of the primary contributors to these types of problems, as it creates the perfect environment for both pest damage and subsequent tissue breakdown.
Looking at the picture I’d prune out 1/4 of that growth especially the inward branches after you’ve harvested your pairs this September.
When pear trees become congested with too many branches and leaves, several issues arise that make fruit more susceptible to damage. The lack of airflow means that any wounds take longer to dry out and heal, giving bacteria and fungi the perfect moist environment to establish. Additionally, the dense foliage provides ideal hiding spots for wasps and other insects that can damage the fruit whilst remaining largely undetected.
Why Pruning is Your First Line of Defence
Opening up your pear tree through proper pruning will dramatically improve the health of your fruit by increasing air circulation and allowing better light penetration throughout the canopy. This creates conditions that are far less favourable for both the initial pest damage and the subsequent development of necrotic tissue.
When you prune to create an 'open goblet' shape with well-spaced branches, you're essentially creating a healthier microclimate around each piece of fruit. The improved airflow helps wounds dry quickly, reduces humidity levels that fungi love, and makes it much easier to spot and address pest problems before they become serious. Good pruning also allows you to remove any damaged or diseased wood that might be harbouring problems.
Identifying the Likely Culprits
The pattern and appearance of damage you're seeing is most commonly caused by wasps, which are particularly drawn to sweet, ripening pears. Wasps don't just take a quick bite and leave; they often return repeatedly to the same fruit, gradually enlarging the wound and creating entry points for secondary infections.
Birds can also cause similar damage, especially if they're trying to access the sweet flesh inside. Sometimes even small flying insects or beetles can create tiny puncture wounds that develop into larger problems over time. The key is that once that protective skin is compromised, the fruit becomes vulnerable to a cascade of secondary issues that manifest as the black necrotic tissue you're observing.
Prevention Through Proper Tree Management
The best approach is prevention through good tree husbandry rather than trying to treat individual affected fruits. Start with a proper winter pruning routine that focuses on opening up the canopy and removing any congested or crossing branches. This is far more effective than trying to treat symptoms after they've appeared.
Consider also removing any fallen or damaged fruit from around the base of the tree, as these can attract wasps and other pests that then move on to attack the healthy fruit still on the tree. Keeping the area around your pear tree clean and well-maintained reduces the overall pest pressure and breaks the cycle of damage and reinfection.
Essential Fruit Tree Guides for Better Tree Health
For comprehensive guidance on maintaining healthy, productive fruit trees, explore these detailed guides:
• How to prune pear trees: beginners pruning guide - Complete pear tree pruning techniques
• How to Prune an Apple Tree: Ultimate Beginner Guide - Fundamental fruit tree pruning principles
• How to prune a fruit tree in summer - Summer maintenance pruning techniques
• Winter Vs Summer Pruning; what's the difference? - Understanding seasonal pruning strategies
• How to Prune Low-Hanging Fruit Tree Branches- Managing heavy fruit loads
• How to Prune Cherry Trees: beginner guide - Stone fruit pruning techniques
• How to prune garden plants: ultimate beginner pruning guide - General pruning principles and techniques
• Tree grafting of fruit trees; a beginners guide - Advanced fruit tree propagation
The key message here is that healthy, well-pruned trees with good air circulation rarely suffer from these types of problems. Once you address the underlying structural issues with your pear tree, you should see a dramatic improvement in fruit quality and a significant reduction in these troublesome black marks.
Happy gardening!
lee
Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog
