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cousinfloyd

looking for one more pear

cousinfloyd
10 years ago

I have a volunteer root stock (callery) ready to graft a European pear onto this coming spring, but I'm uncertain what I want and was interested in the forum's thoughts and recommendations. I already have (from W to E) a Moonglow, a Shenandoah, and a Warren. This 4th tree is on the W end of the those three. This is a new planting for me in an area that hopefully won't be quite as fire blight prone as where I first planted pears. Resistance to fire blight is a very high priority for me in selecting a cultivar. I don't want to have to spray anything. If I have to I'll just eat other fruits, but I know other people in the general area that get usable spray-free pears. I considered Magness (which I have in the other spot) but that would give me two pollen-sterile varieties, and another pollinator seems like a better idea. I also have Kieffer, and a different style pear with different potential uses is attractive, but my other Kieffer has gotten torn up by fire blight so bad that it really hasn't produced, and it seems like it might be a disease reservoir affecting my other pears, so I'm leaning toward a more fire blight resistant variety if there is one. I might be partial to a late ripening variety. What's the most fire blight resistant pear that anyone can recommend?

Comments (5)

  • rayrose
    10 years ago

    I'd recommend either Maxine or Ayers. Both have been good producers for me with no fire blight.

  • carolstropicals
    10 years ago

    I took a grafting class with John Panzarella in Lake Jackson, Texas.
    He has a special pear called Tennosui Pear. You can read about it on his website.
    https://sites.google.com/site/johnpanza/
    I brought this pear back from the class. I believe this is a very special pear.

  • RobThomas
    10 years ago

    I have Blake's Pride which is supposed to be highly resistant to fire blight. Can't comment on the taste as it hasn't fruited yet. Everything I've read about it sounds good.

  • Noogy
    10 years ago

    In your area Ayers would be a hit. It's a really nice tree too.

  • mamuang_gw
    10 years ago

    I planted Blake's Pride and Harrow Sweet in spring 2012.

    HS is very precocious. It fruited this summer. I kept 4 pears on this small tree. They tasted very good (but I have no other tree-ripening pears to compare!!).

    BP is supposed to be disease resistant. To my surprise, BP was affected by fire blight and pear blister mites than HS was. I did not spray for fire blight. I just trimmed off the affected branches. I sprayed sulfur for blister mites with some success. Neither of the problems was serious (yet).

    I would suggest you look into HS.