AusBonsai

have a couple or three manchurian pear --the leaves are blackening from the tips down to the stems over a week or so----do they cook easily in the 40 plus heat or would it be poor drainage and disease--! will repot next season in a more open mix as long as they make it to then

Hi tgward , manchurian pears are quite hardy , the sun or heat wont turn them black it may scorch them brown , sounds like they could be over watered . I lost several last season from poor drainage in grow beds , high clay content retaining too much moisture was the issue . I haven't had an issue with any pest or disease with pears apart from a 4 legged K9 .

Cheers Alpineart

alpineart wrote:Hi tgward , manchurian pears are quite hardy , the sun or heat wont turn them black it may scorch them brown , sounds like they could be over watered . I lost several last season from poor drainage in grow beds , high clay content retaining too much moisture was the issue . I haven't had an issue with any pest or disease with pears apart from a 4 legged K9 .

Cheers Alpineart

thanks art--think I'll slip pot into larger pot with coarse inorganic mix for the rest of summer -autumn

I have had the reverse experience. I grow a number of these trees, all grown from cuttings. I grow them in a lots of shade and even sit in water on hot days and they love it and grow the best putting out lots of new shoots when they have lots of water.
Maybe it depends on the climate they are grown in, but the only time have have black leaves is when they aren't watered properly.
This highlights the difference climatic conditions can have on plants and that a solution is not the same for everyone.
My pears are all grown as or for miniatures so they are either in growing pots or small pots, this could also make a difference.
Lynette

thanks lynette--they are now in a more free draining mix so I'll see what happens