Self Fertile Pear Trees: The fact is that many pears aren't very good at pollinating themselves. Folks who live where fire blight is not a problem should count their blessings as it definitely puts a damper on trying to grow a number of fruit trees and ornamentals. Sometimes life plays tricks on gardeners. The old hard-as-a-rock Kieffer pear may not be as large as some varieties of pears, but it has stood the test of time. Some authorities recommend spraying for blossom control and pruning to save the unaffected branches. Shearing, carding, spinning, weaving and creating with Margaret Boos, Finding the best dog for the country life, No Worrying About Fire Blight with Orient and Kieffer Pears. Whether a pear is considered an early-season or late-season pear depends highly on where it is being grown. Cross-Pollination of Pear Trees. A Kieffer pear tree's best pollination chances result from cross-pollinating the Kieffer tree with another Kieffer tree or another European pear tree variety, such as Bartlett or Red Anjou. Even with mature trees, it is well to give the ground underneath the trees an occasional slow, thorough soaking during dry conditions, particularly if the trees are laden with fruit. I finally became convinced that no matter how I tried to follow the advice of the experts, Bartletts with their poor resistance to fire blight are not for southwestern Arkansas (Zone 8), as well as a number of other areas. Botanical Name: Pyrus communis 'Orient' Height: 12-15 feet Spacing: 12 feet Depth: Locate the planting depth indicator, the marked line above the tree's root system. This is an advantage as we don’t suddenly find ourselves faced with a tree full of ripe fruit to process all at once. Cleanly cut off any damaged roots. When desired thickness is achieved, immediately put in hot, sterilized jars and seal. What varieties would work to cross-pollinate at least the Summercrisp? 4. Ideal for the one-pear tree garden. DIRECTIONS for USE: NOTE: Ubilean - Eurpoean Shinseiki/New Century 2. (It’s hard to tell the difference between standard pear trees until they reach fruit-bearing age.) Each pear tree for sale via our website comes direct from our UK nursery, with each variety selected primarily for its individual flavour characteristics. Conference and Concorde are as good as truly self-fertile, while trees such as Louise Bonne of Jersey trees are partially self-fertile, which means they will carry some fruit without another variety to pollinate them, but their crops will be much larger if there is. This levee will help to direct water to the roots when needed. The pears have yellow skin with smooth textured, sweet, firm, juicy, white flesh. Does a Pear Tree Need a Separate Pollinator? © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Grow Height: 15' (Semi Dwarf) Sun: Full Sun. The Maxine (very much like a Bartlett pear and advertised to be blight resistant) apparently has a certain amount of resistance as it seemed to be doing well for a few years, although its crops of pears were scant. The part of the description that stood out to me was “highly resistant to fire blight.” I embarked on another pear trial and have never regretted it, as the Orient grew with vigor, produced a few pears its third year, and has been going strong ever since with no fire blight. This is because the pear flowers are short-lived and have minimal nectar. Pears are not self-pollinating as they require pollen from another tree. Ripening Time: late August to mid September Pare and core hard-ripe Kieffer pears. Product Link : Bartlett Pear Tree . Pear blossoms have a short season and the small amount of nectar produced is not attractive to bees. The pears have a yellow, thick skin and a creamy, fine flesh with a sweet but mild flavor. Pear trees need room to develop their potential and should be planted about 25 feet apart. Most pears are ready to pick when they may be snapped off by lifting them up and having them break away easily from the limbs. A cupful is plenty for a young tree. Asian pear trees tend to overbear. This branch will be your central leader. So they are much more subject to the hazards of spring frosts. Some Asian pear trees are partially self-fruitful and tend to overproduce when cross-pollinated. Orient. Twice as many bees should be available to pears than for other fruits. Yield: Average Choose a dominate branch at the top of the tree that is the most vertical. Although self-fruitful, these pears will produce better when pollinated by varieties like Bosc or D'Anjou. Their nectar is not particularly attractive to bees, which are … Attributes This tree: Produces large, smooth, shiny, round yellow fruit with a red cheek and thick skin. Moreover they always seem to bloom late enough to escape frost damage. No fire blight here. This is because fruit trees are not always self-pollinating. All rights reserved. For much of human history, people have tried to prevent things from rotting. Spread: 10-12 feet Light Required: Full Sun Pollinator: Self-pollinating, but planting another European pear may increase yields. The pear tree is an increasingly common sight in UK gardens, thanks to the wide variety of pear trees now available. Pollination partner pear varieties in our catalog Good moisture drainage is an important soil requirement although pears are more tolerant of poorly drained soil than most fruit trees. A tasty variation is to substitute orange and nutmeg for lemon and ginger. When ready to place a tree in a selected site, one should always study the root system by gently spreading the roots out from their cramped shipping container. Growing pears in a home orchard offers a wonderful opportunity to plant cultivars not ordinarily available in regular markets. Many pear varieties are considered self-fruitful, but the addition of another of their kind greatly increases the chances of pollination. In the same vein, late-flowering varieties should be paired with other late-flowering varieties, like Kumori and Okusankichi, which can still produce if planted by themselves. PEAR POLLINATION CHART 18528 Aurora Ave N * Shoreline, WA 98133 * (206) 546-4851 * www.skynursery.com Pears need to cross-pollinate with another pear variety for good fruit set, and both must be in bloom at the same time. Although these are self-pollinating, they'll produce better if pollinated with varieties like Maxine, Moonglow or Bosc. Many Pear varieties need to be planted with another tree to fruit well; these are all self fertile Pears – Pear Trees which will yield well on their own. Most fruiting pear trees require the presence of another different variety of pear for cross-pollination in order to set fruit; however, these pear trees are self-pollinating — meaning they can grow and develop fruit without another compatible pear tree blooming nearby. There are fringe benefits to Orients and Kieffers, as they are outstanding additions to the spring landscape when in bloom and a boon to beekeepers. The best way to enjoy fresh pears is to harvest them when they will break away, as mentioned, putting them in a cool place inside the house for a few days. In our area, spring is accompanied with plenty of rain either in the form of showers or storms, and spraying is a wasted effort. This variety hits the chilling hours here almost perfectly at 700 hours. Furthermore, is Orient Pear self pollinating? I have often received dormant trees when weather did not permit immediate planting and I have found the best thing to do is to place the shipment in a cool room where it can remain for a few days and not dry out. Grow self-pollinating pear trees for a space-saving pear harvest! Cut the tip of your central leader if you wish to slow the tree from getting taller. Soil should have moisture-retaining qualities, but not boggy or subject to creek or river overflows. Finish filling the hole with soil and water again. Early-flowering varieties, such as Ya Li and Seuri, can be successfully paired or stand on their own. You will have a better crop of fruit if more than one tree of another variety is used. Juice of one lemon Late-season pears ripen in mid-August to early September. Amply water the soil down so that it settles, leaving no air pockets. It has yellow skin with a very slight red blush. Provide a warm, south- or west-facing, sheltered site in your garden for the best results. They are also called self-fruitful. Some Asian pears, such as Hosui, ar… The hole should be dug about six inches wider than the root span so that feeder roots may have a good chance to develop and spread out. When trees are heavily laden with fruit, limbs should be propped up with some type of support that will not harm the bark. Most Asian pears are self-fertile. To each quart of ground pears add the following: 3 cups sugar The Orient requires 350 chill hours. Orient—Johnson Nursery, Route 5, Box 29-J, Ellijay, GA 30540. Moreover they always seem to bloom late … I urge anyone who has given up in disgust on trying to raise good pears to give the Orients and Kieffers a chance. Norris holds a Bachelor of Arts from Linfield College. Whether or not you are fond of rabbit stew, raising rabbits for meat can be a great experience... By Patrice Lewis When Does a Moonglow Pear Tree Bear Fruit? Bartlett pears are hardy in zones four through eight, and usually are ready to harvest in August. A Moonglow pear tree is an excellent choice for second pollinating tree. Kieffers are also highly resistant to fire blight. Pear trees in spring are a feast for the eyes and a boon to beekeepers. Self-fruitful plants are those that can produce fruit either by pollinating with another plant of the same variety or because it is self-pollinating. Apparently the new tree was mislabeled as it turned out to be a Kieffer. When they ripen in late summer they can be used for canning or eaten fresh off the tree. Box 10, Louisiana, MO 63353. Moonglow Dwarf Pear Trees. The Orient requires 350 chill hours and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-8. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bartlett pear trees are considered self pollinating, but they will produce much better if given a partner. As for pruning, my experience with blight-prone trees has been that I prune back more of the branches than grow in a season. Their pears earned the nickname "apple pears" because of their physical resemblance to apples. However there are several varieties of pear trees that are not self pollinating. Kieffer resists fire blight and is best preserved or used for jellies because of its coarse texture. However, pears are generally known to produce in a certain succession. These varieties can pollinate mid-season varieties because the flowering time is fairly close. Pollination in fruit trees can be one of the most confounding of concepts for home orchardists. There is virtually no way for the average gardener to cope with it other than to seek out varieties that have high resistance to the blight. To avoid trunk borer trouble, I generously sprinkle wood ashes around the base of our fruit trees during winter. Select a cultivar in the left column and read across the chart to choose pollination partners. I bought a Summercrisp pear tree from our local Agway nursery a few years ago after they told me it was self-pollinating. It can self-pollinate or pollinate with the Baldwin, Kieffer, or Moonglo. They should be planted in a well drained, open spot with no big trees nearby. I have never seen a Kieffer tree with fire blight. Apricot Trees. Even if a pear is designated as self-pollinating, it usually performs better when another pear is present, so when possible plant two varieties. The pears are yellow, sweet, and juicy and when they ripen in late summer, can be used for canning. Since I’m in zone 9, (North Florida) Fire Blight is a real problem. Pear tree are also self pollinating so that you can get a good yield of fruit from just a single tree. Asian and European pears have self-pollinating varieties, but don't bloom at the same time so are unlikely to cross-pollinate. Issue #141 • May/June, 2013 Some of us live in drought prone areas and, as a precaution, I always make a small levee about three feet in diameter around a new tree. Although these pears are close enough in bloom time to successfully pollinate many early-season varieties, Seckel will not pollinate Bartlett. Early-season pears tend to produce pears in midsummer, or in late June to early July. Everyone likes a good success story, and if I were called upon to name the most successful tree in our small orchard I’d have to say it’s the Orient pear closely followed by its hale and hearty relative, the Kieffer. Fall is butchering time, a period of joy in the harvest of the year's work and of sadness... By Carrie Peterson Although most pear trees are self-pollinating, it is advisable to plant more than one variety to increase production, particularly if there are no other pear trees within a quarter mile of your orchard. I have a Kieffer pear and am considering obtaining an Orient pear to aid in its pollination. As with all fruit trees, sunlight is a key to maximizing fruit production. The Orients are best for canning, however, while they are firm and first picked from the tree. Outstanding fire blight resistance. So, when time permits, I’m considering making pearwood picture frames. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/selfpollinating-pears-46531.html All these varieties will do better if pollinated by any of the varieties mentioned above or the variety Hood. Late autumn brings forth a different colorful display when the leaves turn from green to golden bronze. The Orient is a leaf spot and blight resistant pear tree that produces large, semi-hard fruit. Depth of hole may be judged by the soil line on the tree. The fruit is excellent when canned in light syrup for dessert or salad use, but is a little too juicy for preserves or pear honey. Now the blossoms turn black as soon as they start to drop their petals, giving the tree the appearance of having been dabbed with black paint. Pear trees don’t usually require a great deal of pruning. Kieffers are drier pears than the Orients, so each makes up for the other’s shortcomings. If the pl… Bartletts seem to do best along the Pacific coast and in northern states east of the Mississippi River. As a general rule, pear trees should be planted in poor soil, as very fertile soil increases the likelihood of fire blight attack. This would be the best pollinator for all other trees grown around this area. Although Anjou and Bartlett are partially self-fruitful, they should be cross-pollinated to produce heavy and regular crops. The self-pollinating variety Spalding has crunchy, round, light green fruits, and the California variety has round fruits with a red blush and will tolerate heat. If the spring is a relatively dry one, spraying is helpful. Moonglow is a good fresh eating and processing pear that ripens early in the season. Orient pears are not as fine grained as the Bartletts, but many of the Orient fruits will weigh a pound a piece. Ideally, they require another tree of the same variety or another pear variety that blooms at the same time. Orient pears on the left have been canned in quarters for use in salads or desserts. The pears are yellow, sweet, and juicy and when they ripen in late summer, can be used for canning. Some years ago I read about a pear called the Orient in a southern grower’s catalog. Kiefer pears should be vigorously pruned in the winter when the tree is dormant. They begin ripening here about mid-July and finish up 4-5 weeks later. On our most common orchard trees (peaches, pears, cherries, apples et. Recommended variety for Southern States. David Hill, Lancaster, NH 03584 Zone 4 . There are so many agents helping to spread the blight—bees and other insects, wind-blown rain, etc—that there is no feasible way of preventing contagion.