Identifying Fire Blight On Your Tree Or Shrub

While there are several illnesses affecting plants, the disease fire blight, which is produced by bacteria destroys shrubs and trees in landscapes, orchards, and nurseries.

How to Identify Fire Blight in a Tree or Shrub
Fire blight is typically prompted by seasonal weather and damages the blossoms, slowly going to the twigs, and then the limbs. The name fire blight is because of the burnt appearance of infected twigs and blossoms.

Symptoms
The symptoms of fire blight can emerge as soon as trees and shrubs start growing. The first sign of infection is a reddish-light ooze dripping from the infected trunk or branch. This discharge turns darker after being exposed to air, leaving dark streaks on the trunk or branch.

The infections typically move to the flowers, making them brown and wilted. When fire blight is in its advanced stage, cankers start to form on the limbs. The patches of ooze have fire blight bacteria in them and will kill your plants.
 
Remedies
Fire blight bacteria is dispersed several ways like splashing water, rainfall, infested plants, dirty garden tools, and insects/birds.

The time for high risk of exposure is early summer or late spring. Sadly, there isn’t a cure for fire blight. Thus, the top remedies are regular tree pruning and getting rid of any infested limbs and stems. You might also need stump removal service as well.

You must remember to sanitize your garden tools since this is a well-known way to spread the bacteria. Tools have to be disinfected in an alcohol solution (three parts alcohol to one part water). Also, diluted household bleach (nine parts water to one part bleach) can be used. Sometimes oiling your plants helps to treat fight blight. Neem oil is the best choice.

Treatments
Since there is no cure, fire blight is hard to fight. Though, one fire blight treatment that is effective is spraying. Many bactericides have been created to fight fire blight, even though chemicals to treat fire blight might not always be useful.
Always read the instructions carefully before using any chemicals to combat fire blight. Since chemicals won’t always work, extensive tree trimming might be your only option, contact a local tree company if you need assistance with this issue.​

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