The story of the stressed pear tree.

First something from Paul telling the Philippians how to cope with stress:

Talk to God by first saying thank you, then ask/ tell God about everything not being careful about saying anything and then God’s peace, which is not understood, will keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

I have made it my own the Bible verses are Philippians 4 : 6-7

It started like this. The small pear tree was covered in larger than ever five- petaled white blossoms then a bug/midge appeared. A verb name would be ‘ a pear leaf curling’ bug which did exactly that to its leaves. There were fine black spots as small as needle pricks and as black as a starless night where they joined to make patches and stuck the leaf edges together. A sticky ugly sight.

‘ This is not right!’ I thought ‘ the blossom has just blown away petal by petal leaving small fruit’ so I stood by the tree for a long time. I had a black bucket, one from Brian’s garden, next to me and I picked off every single curled leaf til all were off and the bucket was more than full.

The tree looked better! Did it feel better? Pears formed with good shape and size and then we travelled through Holland and Germany and the tree was having a weather experience much like our own. For a good three to four weeks it was both coat-cold and umbrella- inside – out rainy, then it became terribly hot,hot,hot.

The pear tree’s hormones followed its own logical conclusions. Here is what happened to this small tree.

I had picked off its leaves, its capacity to photosynthesis had been reduced. It was told it was autumn. It then had cold and rain and here was its winter. The little tree then experienced a heat wave, must be summer. It had endured three mini seasons.

It began to produce small white flowers and these are what I saw when we returned nine weeks later.

They have changed to fruit but they won’t have a real season to develop nor will the tree have the energy and I will stand by the tree and take them off.

The pear tree has had a double stress event, a pest attack and weather changes. It has experienced a hormonal shock.

What does it need now? A consistant watering schedule! We will carry the buckets the hose pipe has had to be put away.

Here is the story in 5 photographs:

The fruit I will pick off July 13.

The blossom we returned to see in June.

Some picked off ‘pear leaf curling’ with midges in the shade.

The healthy blossom in April.

The start of the pear tree’s journey. A bud and a flower just opened.

And here is a thought from poet David:

Cast your burdens upon the LORD, and He will sustain you: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55: 22

And now Jesus speaking:

Come to me, all you, who are work burdened and life stressed and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11: 28

Take care,

Sandy 🙂