Pear trees

[Leadeye]

We planted some Moonglow pear trees as pollinators, but I find I really like the fruit, much better than regular pears although they are smaller. The trees grow well and produce plenty of pears, something I would recommend to those planting food trees.

 

[2in1evtime]

How long before they started setting fruit??

 

[Leadeye]

How long before they started setting fruit??

The tree you see was bought at Lowes as a sapling in 2016. First fruit was last year.

 

[wcd]

The tree you see was bought at Lowes as a sapling in 2016. First fruit was last year.

Do you have to spray in your area?

 

[jerrob]

I would like to plant fruit trees all over my property, new to the area and gotta learn what grows best in this zone. I found a persimmon tree last fall that's bears so much fruit the limbs droop strait down. Peach and Pear trees like yours would be a nice addition for sure.

 

[Leadeye]

Do you have to spray in your area?

Never have had to spray the trees, the biggest issue we have is with grey squirrels taking the immature fruit off the trees and throwing it on the ground. Shooting is a partial solution so I'm looking at traps.

 

[bwframe]

Never have had to spray the trees, the biggest issue we have is with grey squirrels taking the immature fruit off the trees and throwing it on the ground. Shooting is a partial solution so I'm looking at traps.

Good idea. Shooting them is good to exercise your skills, but trapping will catch them all.

I keep 3 smaller hav-a-hearts out all the warm months for chipmunks. Very few this year, which makes me think I'm reducing the neighborhood population?

Superglue a raw almond or two to the trigger of a medium sized trap. Have a water source that can accommodate submerging the trap.

 

[bwframe]

What about pear wine? Is that a thing? I used to be fond of pear schnapps, back in my drankin' days.

 

[patience0830]

Never have had to spray the trees, the biggest issue we have is with grey squirrels taking the immature fruit off the trees and throwing it on the ground. Shooting is a partial solution so I'm looking at traps.

CO² powered head smasher traps might be just the ticket.

 

[Leadeye]

CO² powered head smasher traps might be just the ticket.

I saw some of those that looked great from a company called Goodnature, but they aren't available in the US.

 

[Leadeye]

What about pear wine? Is that a thing? I used to be fond of pear schnapps, back in my drankin' days.

Pear wine is something I haven't tried yet, we seem to eat the pears as fast as they ripen.

 

[BE Mike]

Mmmmm! Pears!

 

[phylodog]

We just planted three pear trees and one apple. Looking for a few more apple trees to plant.

 

[littletommy]

Hmmm, pear trees you say? I just came in the house from cutting up and 30-40 foot pine that blew down in yesterdays storm, and we were just having the conversation about what to plant there when I get this mess cleaned up.

 

[bdybdall]

I've got a pear tree that is way overgrown. It also spread a disease to my apple trees and 3 of the 4 of them are dead. My plum tree is ready to come down also. They were overgrown and old when I bought the place and that was 30 years ago. I'm ready to plant some pawpaw and persimmon trees instead. They're native to Indiana and have few diseases or pests.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

What about pear wine? Is that a thing? I used to be fond of pear schnapps, back in my drankin' days.

Pear wine or Perry(hard pear "cider") are both things. I'm thinking of trying to make some this fall.

Pear wine is something I haven't tried yet, we seem to eat the pears as fast as they ripen.

Do yours ripen on the tree? Or do you have to chill them first?

 

[Jaybird1980]

Hmmm, pear trees you say? I just came in the house from cutting up and 30-40 foot pine that blew down in yesterdays storm, and we were just having the conversation about what to plant there when I get this mess cleaned up.

If you're doing just one tree, make sure to get a self pollinating variety such as Bartlett. Even then it will do better with two of the same or another one that flowers at the same time frame.

 

[Leadeye]

Pear wine or Perry(hard pear "cider") are both things. I'm thinking of trying to make some this fall.

Do yours ripen on the tree? Or do you have to chill them first?

We ate most of them all right off the tree last year, a few did make it into the house.

 

[patience0830]

I saw some of those that looked great from a company called Goodnature, but they aren't available in the US.

I think if you ordered $1000 worth, they'd send 'em.

 

[Leadeye]

View attachment 206647
I think if you ordered $1000 worth, they'd send 'em.

I need the size 18 for grey squirrels. The 24 works for mice and maybe chipmunks. Grey squirrels are an invasive pest in England where the traps are made and people are encouraged to kill as many as they can. I figure DNR people are keeping these out of the US, from watching the videos it looks like you could collect a lot of them in a days time. It's either that or somebody in the trap business here is paying to keep them out.