Subject: Re: [NAFEX] want to talk about pears, for a bit
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:03:10 -0500
I bought an Ure, a Nova and a John from Bear Creek, all allegedly for my
zone. John died almost right away. Nova has been trying to die but still
clings to life; it produces low branches that die after a few years.
Ure is a magnificent tree. Every year it produces thousands of blossoms
but only three or four fruits. The honey bees love it but don't manage to
fulfill the pollination job so now I've started grafting other varieties of
pear onto it hoping that, when they bloom, will bloom at the same time as
the Ure.
A friend has a "wild" pear; least-wise, that is what he calls it.
Something that came up from the roots after the top died. It produces
golf-ball size, spherical, fruits that are extremely bitter so I grafted
every hardy variety that Bear Creek had onto it. Most of the grafts grew
but only one bears fruit and did so almost immediately. I wish I knew what
variety it is but the tag I put onto it at grafting time has disappeared.
Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Fruit Farm
4002 Davis Street
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)