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Home Orchards: Table 4.8. Pesticide Recommendations for Pears

Informational table showing pesticide recommendations for pears. To avoid harming bees, do not use an insecticide in sprays applied during the bloom period.

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Updated:

March 9, 2023

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Home Orchards: Table 4.8. Pesticide Recommendations for Pears

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Due to a wide array of various products containing the same active ingredient, for insecticide recommendations, when appropriate the active ingredient is listed instead of the name of formulated product. Always consult the label before making pesticide applications. Labels vary greatly between commercial products of the same material. It is important to refer to the label for the best timing and application rates when applying pesticides. Also read the text for information on cultural practices to minimize the application of pesticides. CAUTION: Broad-spectrum insecticides (those with a large number of pests listed on the label) have significant potential to be harmful to non-target organisms such as bees and other beneficial or predatory insects.

Time to Spray	Suggested Materials	Pests to be Controlled
Dormant to green tip	Oil plus Copper	Scales, pear psylla, mites leafspot
Green cluster bud	Esfenvalerate^d plus Oil or Surround	Pear psylla
Pink	GPProduct mix^a or Sulfur Esfenvalerate or Surround	Leaf spot Pear psylla
Just before blossoms open	Esfenvalerate or Surround	Pear psylla
Bloom^b Two sprays needed: (1) 20% of blossom open (2) 7 days later	Streptomyces sulfate + Sulfur	Fire blight
Petal fall 90-95% of petals fallen^b	GPProduct mix or Sulfur Surround plus	Leaf and fruit spot, scab Curculio, pear psylla
	Esfenvalerate or Safer Soap^c plus	Codling moth, oriental fruit moth
	Imidacloprid plus	Aphids, pear psylla
	Surround
Mid-June 16 days after petal fall^b	Same as Petal Fall	Same as above
Late June 16 days after mid-June^b	Same as Petal Fall	Same as above
Early July^b	Same as Petal Fall	Same as above
Late July	GPProduct mix or Sulfur Esfenvalerate or Safer Soap^c plus Esfenvalerate or Imidacloprid plus Surround	Same as above
Mid-August	Sulfur	Fruit rot, sooty mold

Notes

a. General purpose products may contain captan, which is not approved for pears.
b. Bloom sprays are not needed on Kieffer pears. Only spray for fire blight if this disease was a problem in the past. Break off fire-blighted shoots and branches as they occur during the growing season.
c. Safer Soap will probably russet fruit.
d. Multiple applications of Esfenvalerate can lead to severe outbreaks of phytophagous mites.

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