Pear Tree Recommendations

[Tractors4u]

I am planning on planting a few trees this year and want some fruit trees. From time to time I get a really good tasting pear, sweet, juicey, and soft. I remember growing up my grandparents had some pear trees, that were neither, sweet, juicey or soft. Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[ToadHill]

Try Bartlett of Beir Bosk.

 

[MossRoad]

I am planning on planting a few trees this year and want some fruit trees. From time to time I get a really good tasting pear, sweet, juicey, and soft. I remember growing up my grandparents had some pear trees, that were neither, sweet, juicey or soft. Any recommendations?

Thanks

Yes. Harvest the pears when they are still hard, before they get soft, and ripen them in the house in a paper bag. Put an apple in the bag if you want them to ripen faster. The apple gives off ethylene gas that makes the pears ripen faster. Keep them in the 'fridge if you want them to ripen slower. check them often as they will turn fast.

Here's a link to some good pear facts.

Pears - FAQ - USA Pears

We cut our pears into eigths, core and peel, dip in 2qts of water with 1TBL SPN vinegar and 1 TBL SPN salt to prevent browning. Then we put them in 1QT zip lock bags and cover with heavy syrup made of 1gal water and 5cups sugar, then freeze them. They keep for years that way.

 

[mjarrels]

I second the bartlett pear... I have two trees that are heavy producers.

mark

 

[Highbeam]

I just planted a pair of pear trees. Bartlett and the Brosc (sp) variety which are both supposed to be good eating pears. Need to consider pollenation.

 

[gotrocks]

We like our Moonglow and my wife likes Kiefer for preserves and relish.

 

[Wesdor]

I'm not trying to hijack this thread, just get some input. In the next week or so, I need to order some Oriental Pear Trees. They have excellent taste and have the crisp texture of an apple.

Anybody have suggestions as the best varieties to purchase?

 

[WayneB]

I am planning on planting a few trees this year and want some fruit trees. From time to time I get a really good tasting pear, sweet, juicey, and soft. I remember growing up my grandparents had some pear trees, that were neither, sweet, juicey or soft. Any recommendations?

Thanks

There are several varieties that will certainly be great for the backyard fruit farmer (like all of us?) It might depend upon how much space you have and what the use of the fruit will be. I have several varieties in our area, which extends the period of fresh fruit for eating along with some for fall canning.

Comice Pear Tree is a nice fruit tree that will be ready to eat early in the season, mid August. You should purchase at least two of these for pollination reasons.

Kieffer is an old fashion pear that will do fine in your area. Nice fruit and the deer love them! It ripens in October / November timeframe in the south.

Bartlett Pear I have a bunch of these in the backyard orchard and we use them mainly for canning. Nice tree to have around, but I have had trouble keeping them under control; seem to grow tall if you are not on top of the pruning. Suggest that you plant a minimum of two trees

Bosc Pear Tree is a nice tree and might fit your eating enjoyment requirement. Ripens in September / October time frame and requires a partner so plant a minimum of two trees, close to each other. This is a good pear for you area, but I have not had good luck here in New England, only had them in the orchard for about four years so we will see how they do this year.

Orient Pears If you are planning on an orient type pear ( do not confuse this with a Asian Pear) you will also need a pollinator pear such as a Bartlett or Comice pear tree in the area. This is an American variety of pear tree and would be an early producer in the August time frame. I do not have any of these.

I have mostly semi dwarf trees and try to stay on top of the pruning so as to make picking easier and also to open the tree up to sunlight.

Would recommend that you purchase your trees from a local Nursery / orchard company and not from the big box stores that brings in a bunch of fruit trees in the spring for us land owners to plant. Most of these trees just are acclimated to my area and don't do well the first few years.

If you have a garden club in your town, might be worth contacting them to see what they recommend for your area. They might even do a group buy and that would bring the cost of the trees down for everyone.

Just my thoughts......

Wayne

 

[Wesdor]

WayneB
I must be one of those confused - I didn't realize there was a difference between Asian and Oriental Pears. Thanks for the heads up.

If I want to plant some Asian Pears, do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[WayneB]

Not to confuse you, but I mentioned Orient pears.

Most people speak of Asian pears like the ones that look like apples (sort-of) and are grown in Korea, China, and Japan.

Asian Pears

Asian Pear - HGIC @ Clemson University

Orient Pears!

Tree Details—The Tree Guide at arborday.org

sorry about that

 

[Wesdor]

Thanks Wayne,

I am talking about the Asian Pears. The have the crunch of an apple and taste of a pear. Currently I'm looking at planting 10 - 15 of them so I can have cross pollination.

With any luck I'll have some tasty eating in a few years.

 

[Highbeam]

WayneB, may I ask a related question?

I have planted local nursery bought bare root pear trees. One bartlett and one Bosc. The nursery workers specificied two varieties and that the trees need to be closer than a city block apart. They are actually about 90 feet apart.

Will I be okay in the pollenation department?

 

[kossetx]

Being in Georgia I'd check to see if you have enough chill hours for bartlet pears. There is a southern bartlet but I don't think they're the same. Moonglow and ayers are both good eating pears.

 

[Tractors4u]

I figured out my pear. I was in a meeting today and there was a fruit tray. I grab a pear and the label on it had D'Anjou. I found out that there is a pear called a Green Anjou. It appears that it is a northwestern variety though.

 

[ToadHill]

Wesdor: Asian pears have a very upright growth habit, and as they get older you will need a ladder to pick them, you won't have success trying to train them like a apple tree.

 

[Jim-Satoh]

We like our Moonglow .----I borrowed this line sorry, but I agree this is the largest pear that I have seen for many many years. Small twigs will not hold these pears, and please never top them, they will get bushy. My moonglows would come off a golden yellow or brown around october or Nov.----You can eat them or can with them.----Jim

 

[moeh1]

Here is a place I've ordered from before. It has some nicer descriptions of some Northern cold weather species. Work in progress, bu I'm staggering my peach, cherry, apple, and pear tree varieties so I could get some kind of fruit from mid summer through late fall.
pears

 

[forgeblast]

StarkBros.com - Stark® Honeysweet Pear Dwarf - Catalog # 9485

I have bought from stark brothers, and have been happy with what they offered.
i have the bartlett
Honeysweet
bosc
and a japanese/american cross. I cant rememeber the name.
On top of that i have some nut trees, almonds, and hazlenuts, paw paws and a buch of apple trees. The blue berry bushes are coming this year.