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Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 13:07
| I live in central Tx. in the hill country and about 10 years ago I planted a pear tree. It was actually two types of trees spliced into one that is self pollinating. I can't off the top of my head remember the tree names, only that they were common pears for Texas weather. I have never grown pears before so am not yet familiar with the whole fruiting cycle, etc. So I haven't done a thing to this tree. It was totally ignored but has managed to grow throughout the long drought probably due in part to the deep sandy loam soils. Usually, I'm told, pear trees in Texas have already born fruit by now (some as early as August). But my tree currently has half inch or smaller sized pears on it and it looks like there are also blooms developing. I'm confused! Or perhaps my tree is confused.... What does this late fruiting mean and what should I do or expect? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by Appleseed70 6 MD (My Page) on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 13:45
| If it's been 10 years I'd be more than concerned. How big is this tree now? Pears are known for setting late bloom etc, I guess just sit tight and wait it out. Look through a catalog and see if you can recall the cultivars. It may be that one or both grafts failed. If both have failed you have a seedling pear, if just one you may be without a pollinator for the remaining variety. |
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| The first year kieffer produced for me they were small like that. A standard pear tree can take 10 years to start producing. Each year after kieffer progressively got bigger. They are the only pear I grow that did that. Are they getting plenty of water? I know Fireblight can be bad in Tx so if you've not been spraying them they could be kieffer or pineapple pears or something similar. Those varieties are very resistant to Fireblight. If you could post a picture of the fruit we can tell you if they are rootstock or a variety similar to what we grow. |
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- Posted by mrs.wiggley 8 Hill Country (My Page) on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 16:57
| Thanks so much for your responses. I just took a few pictures (willing to take more if needed). The tree stands around 10 feet. I'm showing pictures of the tree's overall shape, its trunk formation/grafting and a closeup of the fruit and blooms. I have never sprayed it.
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| I think you lost both grafts and are left with the rootstock. The fruit won't get better. If you want fruit plant another and at least keep a better eye on the tree so you'll know if the top dies. It is possible that a fruiting variety is in there somewhere. But if so there should be good fruit on at least one limb. The top looks uniformly like the rootstock. |
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The root stock fruitnut mentioned is called callery pear. You still have an option to graft the tree to a kieffer or pineapple pear or another variety. I would recommend grafting the tree and you would get large fruit in 2-3 years. Grafting pears is not difficult and in this video is an example of top grafting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrE2CkQHudI. You would want to graft this spring when the tree is still dormant. You can ask a friend for a start off their pear or order some scion wood from a site such as this one http://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees.htm?cat=Pears. You can always purchase another tree as well but in my opinion you have nothing to loose by trying to graft it. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Callery pear
This post was edited by ClarkinKS on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 19:44
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- Posted by mrs.wiggley 8 Hill Country (My Page) on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 19:38
| How do you "lose a graft"? One thing I will mention is that about 6 years ago a found a single nearly normal sized pear on it. I don't know if that is all it produced or if animals got the rest. |
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| It could have been from the drought, animals, insects, disease etc.. Deer for example may have eaten the top off the tree and the bottom of the tree was rootstock. By eating off the top all that was left was the rootstock to grow back. That rootstock is very hardy. It makes more since when you see how nurseries made the graft in the first place which was likely a whip and tongue graft or similar method. |
Here is a link that might be useful: whip and tongue graft
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| You might try to find that one or two branches that are different. The rootstock could be just sending out so many branches it makes it hard to see the good ones. The tree will need pruned properly to get it under control. |
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