I don't think the antibiotic will help after bloom. It's not a systemic. Perhaps I'm wrong and someone will set us straight.

In bad fireblight years I've continued to lose branches and trees well on into the summer. I don't really have a lot of experience, but I'll tell you the conclusions I've come to as far as how to control fireblight.

First, I've given up on European pears that aren't supposed to be especially fireblight resistant. I'm not, however, convinced that the differences between Asian pears with regards to fireblight resistance are so significant or that the differences translate well from one location to another.

I've decided I won't plant/graft any more pears anywhere where they don't get sun the very first thing in the morning. I also prefer higher, windier spots to sheltered spots. I want my pears to dry off (especially dew) as quickly as possible.

I try now to be very proactive in pruning my pears. The theory I'm buying is that heavy dormant season pruning leads to a stronger growth response in the spring, and that extra lush, extra vigorous spring growth is extra susceptible to fireblight. So I try to pinch off and prune growth I'm not going to want as soon as I see it. I want to do as much pruning as I can as early in the growing season as I can so that there will be very little left to do in the dormant season.

Cousin Floyd,
You're on the right track I think as far as limiting winter pruning and instead prune throughout the summer. You'll get fruit faster andif you bend and train and prune sprouts in midsummer and from there on you can build some nice scaffolds. My bartlett bore fruit in 4 yrs, 5th year terrible spring/frost, last year 12 awesome pears, this year 7 I have an awesome pyramidal pear in full bloom. I'm 2 hrs away and hopefully some fruit lover buys the tree and the house. The property also has 10 Harrowsweets, a10' Ayers, a 4 yr 8' Magness, moonglow, clapps favorite and a 10' Hosui on BET with a tennosui branch.I only have had FB on the blooms of HarrowSweet, a small twig of bartlett and a small twig off Tennessee. They all are up on a hill, and get 1st sun and all through the day. I've never had an instance of FB on asians. Different strain?