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Post by Reagan on Mar 28, 2017 19:58:03 GMT -6
This tree is on my dad's place. It's not near an area where I ever hunt and to be honest I thought it was dead when I first saw it years ago. It has produced a few pears some years and I always think it will be dead next year. Some of the recently posted pruning videos got me to thinking about it. Is there anything that can be done to help it or improve fruit production? I think it is too far gone but I know very little about fruit trees.     |
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 28, 2017 23:22:33 GMT -6
The only thing I can think of would be to clean up the jagged edges at the top of the main trunk and build something that will help the water and snow run off the top without getting at the middle. We have one old apple like this and the bear started digging at the old rotten wood and brought it down. I'm guessing this tree could last another 20+ years if you can protect that middle and it doesn't catch any major fire blight. It's still got a lot of outer bark and looks to be pushing new growth. Are the pears good? Any sign of fire blight on it? Old fruit trees have a will to live. This one has plenty of sunlight which will help it more than anything. Keeping the rain out of the middle is the other thing that you can do. I wouldn't fertilize it.
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Post by Reagan on Mar 29, 2017 14:27:31 GMT -6
Some years there a pears and some years there are not. All have been high up where I couldn't reach and they don't last long when they hit the ground. So I guess they are good for deer.
I wouldn't know fireblight if I saw it. This is the only fruit tree on the property other than persimmons. Do pears need a pollinator?
I will work on the tree a little. I always thought it was a year away from death but it keeps on going.
I'd like to plant some apples, pears and chestnuts for the deer. But I don't own the place and it can be lost any time. I hope to buy it and really get into growing stuff.
I do see CAR on the many cedar trees in the area. So I would have to pick the right fruit trees.
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 29, 2017 16:00:01 GMT -6
I've heard that pear trees need cross pollination but, my father inlaw had a lone pear tree that produced heavily each year and he cut it down because he hated dealing with the "mess" every fall.
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Post by smsmith on Mar 29, 2017 17:34:57 GMT -6
Some pears are at least partially self fertile.
As far as what to do with that big, old tree...NH pretty much covered it I think. It does look as though there is some younger, healthy growth there. It also looks like it's loaded with fruit spurs. I see some crossing branches and branches to remove for a bit of thinning, but given your location I'd wait until next February
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 29, 2017 18:25:47 GMT -6
If that cedar is on the east or south side you might want to take it out to provide more light. Looks like it's getting light though. If on the east it might block sunlight that could help in warming up late spring frosts.
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 29, 2017 18:29:09 GMT -6
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Post by Reagan on Mar 29, 2017 19:20:19 GMT -6
The cedar is to the NW so it's out of the way.
I'll keep tabs on it when I'm around this summer. I don't remember seeing fireblight but I haven't paid much attention to it most years.
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Post by nhmountains on Mar 29, 2017 19:32:03 GMT -6
Yeah I would see what it does this year.
Stu, would a cheap tree from Home Depot help with his pollination or would it bring fire blight?
I've been told by a bow hunter from Maine the best early season draw he has seen is a pear tree. He says te out draw apples. I just haven't had any luck getting them to grow. I just remembeed there's an old pear tree near my home on an abandoned rail bed. My fater in law brought back some pears from it on oe of his walks a few years ago. I've never been on that trail but, will check it out this year. It was a brown skinned pear and tasty.
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Post by smsmith on Mar 29, 2017 20:07:37 GMT -6
Picking up a cheap Kiefer pear probably wouldn't hurt anything. I do see conflicting reports on fireblight and Kiefers though. I think the ussuriensis pears are as close to fireblight "proof" as you can get, but I have no idea if they sell Ure, Early Gold, or Golden Spice in OH.
One thing with pears is that they can take quite awhile to bloom. "Plant pears for your heirs" is an old saying. They take a long time to bear, but once they start they can live and produce for many decades.
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Post by nhmountains on May 31, 2017 20:14:33 GMT -6
Reagan,
Any updates on your pear tree?
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Post by Reagan on Jun 1, 2017 6:34:43 GMT -6
I haven't touched it. I've been back to that property very little this spring and I spent most of the time taking my daughter turkey hunting and fishing.
I did look at the tree once. I didn't see any fruit set on it. I think I need a pollinator.
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Post by Reagan on Jul 5, 2017 6:52:22 GMT -6
   Made it back to the tree last weekend and took a couple of pics. Saw one lone fruit at the top. There were spots on the leaves. |
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Post by smsmith on Jul 5, 2017 6:56:04 GMT -6
It's possible that squirrels/coons/possums are cleaning out the fruitlets before they can mature.
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Post by Reagan on Jul 5, 2017 7:05:43 GMT -6
Maybe. Dad keeps the coons in check. He likes his turkeys to nest in peace.
This weekend I noticed an apple tree in the neighbors yard. It was loaded. The apples were small so I'm thinking is is a crab. I'm not sure how much they have yet to grow this year.
There are cedars everywhere on this property. I didn't think an apple tree had a chance with the CAR I see on the cedars.
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