To combat erwinia I would liberally mulch the trees quartely with a woody herb mulch and a 2 cups of biochar at the base of each tree. I would wash susceptible areas with a spit or amylase based wash brewers yeast (ascomycetes and bacillus break it down) also works which breaks down the polysacchirides (carbs) protecting what essentually is a necrotising bacteriam. This is why old time grafters spat on their work as it colonises wounds in grafts Its important to wash nearby trees similarly as its transported by pollinators. But without the polysacchirides it cant get a grip. Take off any cankers without damaging cambium as this is where the pathogen overwinter. Grow a diversity of trees including multiple species of fruit not just one variety.

In my area I can't find pure neem oil anywhere but online, but I can find products made with it such as Safer Bio-Neem at some nurseries, but generally not big box stores. Neem oil is a natural pesticide, but it doesn't work the way you are probably thinking. It doesn't kill much, if anything, on contact. It is a toxin when ingested by insects (and harmless to people/pets). Once ingested the insect stops feeding and dies over the course of days. Because of this it is considered 'soft on beneficials' as it's only the insects that eat sprayed plant material that experience it's toxicity. In my own yard I have also noted a repellency effect. Plants I know have insect problems each year get sprayed before the pest arrives and often they won't bother the plants at all. Neem oil also has a mild anti fungal side to it. It is not a product I would use to try and cure a plant with a fungal problem, but it is a product I use on plants prone to developing fungal problems and it seems to do a good job at either preventing the infection from taking hold or slowing it's onset. It's one of those rare products that's actually effective and can be used with a clean conscience in terms of the environment and one's self, family and pets.

Jeri, figured as much. Since you have had experience with that awful stuff, what do you do? So far I cleared an area for hosta lining my steps the hard way, digging and pulling, tearing out as many runners as possible, then covered with 6 layers of newspaper and mulched w/decaying leaves. Bought me some time. In the flower bed that has the worst of it (new and tilled, stirs up seeds, see why people are doing lasagna planting), I used up two containers of Grass B Gon (Ortho - fluzifop act ingred), stuff isn't that expensive but with all I have yet, would get to be pretty high. Put newspapers all around the border only and finally got finished mulching it, probably could have done it as soon as I had sprayed but wanted to be sure. It works great though! It does take awhile, like up to 2 weeks. Whatever impact GBG has on the environment, I don't think should be too awful, compared to the other nasty stuff we've been discussing. I just read the thread about netting for JB's. May just try that next year. Oh, I'm going to lose one of those Reine des Violettes, will see if I can get credit, and will see if I can get the other one through the winter, got in ground, chlorotic symptoms disappeared for now, picked off more BS leaves, looks pretty good but vulnerable still, mulched well and will winter protect that baby. I got it in a good spot, sunny but part shade, blooms are dark, will love that one if it matures and thrives.

kimmsr, I did not mean to indicate that I would "totally discount" this study; only that I know that I would have to give it a lot of scrutiny. "University studies" used to be unimpeachable sources for me ... until I stumbled across sites like THESE. Long ago and far away, I had to study 'Silent Spring' by Ms. Rachel Carson. Later, I was impressed by the dogged intuition (there is no other word) of Dr. Frances Kelsey (she is my nominee for "Mother of the Nation") in her single-handed battle against the approval of thalidomide. The work of these two women highlight the mine strewn path we must carefully and cautiously tread whenever we think of using chemicals. And purely to demonstrate the effectiveness of adhering to the two maxims in my previous post, I tested and used agricultural chemicals for 20 years in commercial agriculture. I have two medical conditions. Osteoarthritis which is pretty prevalent in my father's side of the family. High cholesterol which also afflicts every close blood relation of mine. On this latter, it almost amuses me to reflect that my 'high' cholesterol level now, was 'normal' five years ago. That is why I refuse to take any cholesterol-lowering medication. This post was edited by ronalawn82 on Mon, Jan 20, 14 at 7:56