Controlling Corky Spot on Pear at a Second Home

Q. What if I can’t do 5 consecutive weekly sprays to control brown (corky) spot on pear? My problem Kiefer pear is at a second home and I am not usually there that long at a time.

A. Five sprays at least one week apart as the fruit is enlarging is recommended. Get as many applications on as you can, at LEAST a few days apart, as the fruit is enlarging. 

Use food grade calcium chloride and not deicing salt or salt used in water softeners. 

You are going to eat this.

            If you can’t be there when the fruit is enlarging, then it will be a problem. You cannot spray the fruit after it is large or when it is very small and expect to correct the problem.

            Try substituting calcium fertilizers such as calcium nitrate during your Spring application of fertilizer. You might try applying gypsum to the soil in spring since it also contains calcium.

            Organic approaches would be to apply organic labeled gypsum, shells, dolomite and marl. These sources of calcium must be very finely ground, like flour, to be effective the same year it’s applied.