[greenhead]

Hi,  Have 5 thorn less blackberries in the plot they are probably 10+ years old and seem healthy plants.  However the last 3 years has seen severe die back on the fruiting stems.  Next years growth is unaffected.  The die back starts as brown patches on the stems before the whole stem is effected.  Does anybody have any idea what it is and a possible remedy.

Not far away I have a pear  tree with red/yellow spots on some of the leaves.  What is this?  and are the two problems related?

Thanks for any help.

[Annen]

I don't know about the blackberry, but my pear has orange spots on the leaves like this


If yours are like that then it is pear rust [size=78%]http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?PID=236[/size] this tells you all about it.

[greenhead]

Thanks Anne,  The pear spots are just like yours - thanks for the link, the pear has been in for 5 years and this year is the first time I have seen pears.  Interesting fungus though - it needs another to do its stuff, have to get the spray.

Mike.