My Tiny PlotPear Trees in Full Flower
I’m so excited this year that we might actually (fingers crossed) get some Pears. I planted two Pear trees coming up for two and half years ago now. I trained them as oblique cordons (with means one branch on a 45 degree angle) because my garden isn’t big enough to sustain anything bigger.
They’ve been growing happily for the last two years, last year one of them even flowered! But the problem is it’s no good if one of them flowers, I need both to flower because they need the other for pollination.
One of them is Conference and the other is Doyenne du Comice (or Comice Pear to you and I). They’re the kind you see in the shops. Conference is the long green type and Comice is the short yellow type. I didn’t want to go too exotic as I’ve never grown Pears before and I wanted to ensure that I had good strong varieties that I was sure would pollinate each other.
Well, this year, both are flowering. And I’m over the moon. I know that it takes Pears usually three years to get established and to start fruiting so I wasn’t expecting anything until next year. But now both of them have tons of flowers on them. I’m just hoping those bees do their job so I can eat juicy Pears. Come on bees!
Judging by my Concorde trees up at the plot, it’s an exceptionally good year for pear blossom :) Fingers crossed those nightime frosts don’t come back.
Oh Hell…I’ve planted 1 pear tree this year, a buerre hardy. I bought it as a trio of trees with a Lizzie plum and apple pinova from DT Browns.
Can pear trees ever be self fertile??
Claire
Oh gosh, how exciting! I am working only with some pots on a balcony at the moment, but I am hoping in the future when I acquire my own garden or an allotment to grow some fruit. I bet all your hard work will pay off next year!
Claire – some are self fertile such as the Concorde I’m growing as is MTP’s Conference (though 2 trees is always better than 1 in this instance too). Not sure about Buerre Hardy. If there’s other pear trees in your neighbourhood, then the bees will probably come over and cross-pollinate with yours anyway.
Can’t wait to try these out :)
I’d love to have pear trees, best of luck with them.
I’m sure you’ll get some pears – indeed if night frost doesn’t occur. But your point about the bees holds some truth. And since bee populations are stronlgy dwindling you migth consider to do what I am starting this year: I contacted the local bee keepers association and offered them they could keep beehives in my garden. They were excited ( good place with the vegetables, the fruit and acacia trees and heather nearby) and so are we. They’ll be coming in a week or two.
Even if you wouldn’t want any bess swarms on MTP because the space might be too limited, you might find out if there would be a suitable place in your neighhbourbood……..
Hi Im looking to buy a cherry tree to pollinate my other one (merton glory). I need so says the book a merton bigarreau, but I cannot find any local suppliers. I live near Wigan so if anyone knows of somewhere please let me know, cheers, Deb.
Pear blossom is a great sight and my fingers are crossed for you.
Bees and other bugs seem pretty active at the moment so the chances of fruit being produced is good. The only thing that could end it all is frost now!
Keep us updated.
Ryan
My fingers are crossed for you too. Let us know how’s going.
We will seed pear trees in our garden very soon and I really hope they will grow such beautiful like yours. Please share some tips on that, as I can see, you have never grown Pears before too and that’s pretty nice accomplishment!
Lovely blooms! Hope you get some pears.
Suzanne
This is encouraging. My espalier pear is in its second season and hasn’t bloomed yet. My hopes are high for next spring.
I have an ancient pear tree which must be self fertile, unless it gets cross-pollinated by the apple trees? Is that possible. Anyway, I get fruit drop every year no matter how I thin it, but still it’s a magnificent cropper.
What beautiful flowers! I hope you get some pears. Great blog; I’ll be visiting often! Pop in and check mine out if you have time…it’s my first experiment with gardening :)
Isn’t the blossom just lovely, worth having even if you didn’t get all the lovely fruit in the autumn too. Enjoy!
Hi,
Any sign of tiny fruits yet? Please give us an update!
Michaela
UDG – yes! we have lift off. There are actual Pears on both trees. Post coming soon with some nice close-up photos.
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I planted a pear tree (concorde i think) and it has produced two really good crops and one year just a couple of pears. I dont want to loose it but its roots for some reason (i think due to a gale last year) have become loose, does anyone have any suggestions other than securing with steaks and ropes. I t is flowering now and looking promising for fruit this year in spite of being wobbly. Also getting covered in greenfly and ants, whats the best organic way to treat these(or should i just leave the ants to eat the greenfly which i presume the reason for them being there?) would appreciate anyones help or knowledge, thankyou.PS should the tree eventually produce a crop every year when happily established?
Hi Simone,
There could be a few issues here. Your tree might be fruiting in a biennial habit (ie every other year). This could be because it’s under stress due to the fact that it’s coming out of it’s hole. Or it could be that you didn’t thin the fruits the year that you had a heavy crop and the next year the tree is exhausted.
To save the tree I would replant it in Autumn after the leaves have dropped and it’s gone dormant. This might set the flowering back but eventually it should start to flower. When it does and the fruit have set thin the fruits. From a bunch of fruitlets remove the centre pear, it will be small.
The ants and greenfly are a different problem, I think. It depends how organic you want to be. I usually squash greenfly with my finger (icky I know but a good way) or spray with water and washing-up liquid solution if you have a big tree.
As for the ants. I have this problem too and they usually eat the flower buds before they flower! which drives me crazy. I have to admit I take a hard line with ants and bust out the Nippon – not organic I know but it’s usually quick and effective and I don’t have to use it for long. I guess it’s a compromise.
Hope this is helpful and good luck with your Pear.
Thankyou very much for your reply, so nice to hear from you. I think i follow your advice im just a bit concerned when digging the tree out in autumn that i chop some roots, will that be a problem. I normally prune the tree in autumn also whether i am doing it correctly or not im not sure ijst basically chop bit back. Anyway will def get rid of ants and fly, i get quite protective with of my pears. thanks very much for your time and website
Simonex
beautiful flowers! are like the apple flowers
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