Learn how to protect your apple and pear trees from fireblight with Dr Kari A. Peter, Assistant Professor of Fruit Tree Pathology at Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Centre and learn how to select and plant a persimmon tree or shrub that produces fruit that actually tastes good with William Preston of Preston’s Persimmon Patch in Calvert County, Maryland.

Fireblight is a deadly bacterial disease that has been spreading through large parts of North America in recent years. If you don't catch it early on, this disease can not only kill your tree, but it can also spread to other trees nearby. And yet the early symptoms look pretty innocent - leaves go brown at the tips of the tree's branches and sometimes the branch curves into a hook shape.

You might think your tree just needs a little more water. But fireblight is far more serious than that.

Later in the show we learn about persimmons, an unusual fruit that some love and others hate. As it turns out the success of your harvest depends on which varieties you plant.

Symptoms of fireblight in an apple or pear tree include scorched looking dead branches that end with a hook.

What you will learn about fireblight in this show: 

* What is fireblight?* How does fireblight spread through trees?* How do weather patterns affect fireblight spread?* What region is fireblight native to?* What are the symptoms of fireblight disease in trees?* What is a canker?* How do you prune out fireblight?* Which tree species are most susceptible to fireblight?* How does a tree’s age determine its likelihood to survive fireblight?* How does fireblight continue to be a prevalent tree disease?* Are there sprays or treatments that can protect trees from fireblight?* What causes traumablight?

The Urban Forestry Radio Show’s host is Susan Poizner, creator of the award-winning fruit tree care educational training program at www.orchardpeople.com and author of the award-winning fruit tree care book “Growing Urban Orchards”.

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