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Conference Pear Tree

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  • 17-04-2008 1:47pm
    #1
    bauderline
    Registered Users Posts: 898 ✭✭✭


    I planted this tree about 2 years ago along with a couple of apple trees. The apple trees produced loads of fruit last year, the pear tree did not, and its looking like its not going to do much this year either....

    Any thoughts ?

    Baud.


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    #2
    Triangle
    Registered Users Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Triangle


    bauderline,
    I've overheard the missus saying that most fruit trees need to be in pairs (i.e. Female and Male) to fruit anything. Even goes so far that some types of apple trees won't fertilise other apple trees. they need to be specific.
    I'd expect you need a couple of pear trees to get fruit.


    P.s. She's just started looking into this this year and is no way a professional :)


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    #3
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,771 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    That's my understanding too. We have one apple tree in our garden - it is a hybrid that pollenates between the two species. I'd suggest that you get another pear tree for some 'sexy-time' in the garden. :)


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    #4
    Aeneas
    Registered Users Posts: 245 ✭✭Aeneas


    bauderline wrote: »
    I planted this tree about 2 years ago along with a couple of apple trees. The apple trees produced loads of fruit last year, the pear tree did not, and its looking like its not going to do much this year either....

    Any thoughts ?

    Baud.

    Conference pears are self fertile, so they do not require a partner, although they will fruit better with a compatible pear tree nearby. Your tree should be in flower about now. Pears flower earlier than apples and are thereby a bit more susceptible to cold wind (of which we have had plenty) and frosts. You don't say why you think it will not fruit - is it because of scarce flowering? Too few buds? Or some other reason? Pears are slower to come into fruit than apples - it can take four years or more. If you planted it two years ago it is still a young tree and it may take a few more years before it produces good fruit.


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    #5
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    On that note - quinces. We have upwards of 20 quince trees on this property, all only a few years old so they have a weeping aspect, whether or not they're heavy with fruit. At the moment they have a lot of fruit, but it's all still as hard as nails, though large, and covered with a fine fur.

    Now we've had practically NO rain for the last five or six weeks, so that could well be influencing their ripeness, but I'm wondering what I should be looking for in a good, ripe quince, ready to pick and make into quince jelly? At the moment the local birds are pretty much gnawing their way through this years crop on some of the trees, but it would be good to know for next year.


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