Marianne's Response
Mushrooms and Pear Tree
I seem to have an excessive amount of mushrooms this year not only in my lawn but also in my flower beds. Can I do anything to lessen this?
My pear tree appears to have some sort of fungus – black spots on leaves and some that are blackened and curled up. What can I do to stop this?
Thanks
Posted by sbox on May 25, 2020
Marianne's Response
Both the mushrooms and the black spots on the pear foliage are fungi. The growth of fungal spores is increased during warm, damp weather. If you have a sprinkler system you can turn it off to help with excess moisture but not much you can do if there is just a lot of rain. Aerate your lawn to help with drainage and if you don't like the mushrooms in your flower beds you can hide them beneath a fresh layer of mulch. The good news is that the mushrooms are not going to harm you plants. The black spots on the pear can harm the tree if enough of the leaves are infected so that they fall from the tree at a heavy rate. A fungicide spray at this late date in late spring is rarely effective as fungal leaf infections need to be controlled at the first sign of leaf blight. Don't' despair about the pear as the tree could grow out of the problem when the weather dries out or survive for a fresh start next spring. Clean up all fallen foliage this summer and again in the fall so the fungi will not overwinter. Consider using a dormant oil spray on your pear tree once winter arrives to help control any future outbreaks. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
