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  • From: Martha Davis <martha_davis@earthlink.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Asian Pear Flavor
  • Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:32:04 -0700

I have liked Housui Asian pears as grown by my friend Oriana in northern Illinois.  She says you must thin all Asian pears in order to get the large fruit size that goes with good flavor.  She has had to sell her pears as mixed bags.  The flavor  size relationship is so well known in the Asian community that if they are sold loose she would be left with the smallest ones.  I checked back with her in general on this because I didn't thin my Atago Asian pear this year (first year of fruiting) and it was small and the flavor was like cardboard ripening to sweeter cardboard. However, I have to thin it next year to get a real test of how it will taste here.  I would grow Korean Giant if I had a long enough season because I liked that along with Knox and Tsu Li and Seuri which are even later or else need more heat.  I used to dry some and can some when I lived in Illinois and had access to larger amounts, but I think they are at their best fresh.  I had Shin Li fruiting for the first time here in high elevation New Mexico.  I had good flavor and was large without much thinning.  We had warm temps later into the fall than usual this year and I am not sure whether it will ripen reliably or not.

In Japan I saw how they were growing Asian pears.  The trees were pruned to have a spreading flat top at 8 or 10 feet perhaps 12.  The orchard had wall and a top of bird netting. Yes the whole orchard, much like a giant English berry cage.  The top was maybe 6 inches above the tree foliage.  They were heavily thinned .  To pick, someone climbed a ladder, picked a fruit, climbed down, put it into a foam cocoon and then into a shipping box, moved the ladder to the next fruit and repeated.  This is how you get melon sized blemish free Asian pears that cost a fortune and are given as gifts somewhat in the category of a box of fancy chocolates.

Martha



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