![]() Prune infected branches 18 inches below the affected area and burn or bury all infected material. ![]() It is important to select resistant varieties, adopt good sanitary measures and avoid excess nitrogen fertilization to help reduce this disease. Problemsįire blight is the greatest problem limiting the production of Asian pears. This should be done within six to eight weeks after flowering when the fruit is dime-sized.įor more information on pruning and training pear trees, refer to HGIC 1351, Pruning & Training Apple & Pear Trees. Heavy fruit thinning is essential to encourage large fruit and prevent limb breakage. One fruitlet should be left on every other spur cluster or about 6 inches between fruits.Ī limiting factor to good fruit production with Asian pears is that it sets too many fruit. This should be done 14 to 40 days after petal fall. The home grower may choose to thin only once. Pruning should be done to remove about 10 percent of these terminal spurs every year.Īsian pears are often hand-thinned twice during the early growing season. These spurs have a productive life of about 10 years. As the tree matures, most of the fruit is produced on the scaffold branches. On young trees, a good portion of the fruit is borne at or near the tips of 1-year-old shoots. Shoot growth on bearing pear trees should average 8 to 12 inches annually. Also, if the pear trees make too much vegetative growth, reduce the rate of fertilization for the next year. Heavily pruned trees most likely will not need fertilizer for a year or two. If the trees are heavily pruned, reduce the amount of fertilizer applied in relation to the severity of pruning. Too much nitrogen may encourage shoot infection by fire blight. If fruit set is poor, do not apply the second half of the application. Broadcast each application over an area that corresponds with the drip line of the tree. Half of the amount should be applied before growth begins and the other after fruit set. Apply a half to a third cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per year of tree age with a maximum application of 8 cups per tree. Pear trees should be fertilized annually, using a split application. Have the soil tested before planting and follow the recommendations. Pears do best in soils with a pH of 5.9 to 6.5. ![]() However, development of multiple secondary and tertiary scaffolds is important in preventing tree death from fire blight. There does not appear to be any reason why Asian pears cannot be trained to a central leader system similar to European pear and apple trees. Mature trees can reach heights of more than 20 feet. Plant trees at least 10 to 15 feet apart in either fall or early spring. The chilling requirement should not be a problem in most areas of South Carolina. The chilling requirement of Asian pears is thought to be in the range of 900 to 1000 hours, although some studies show that certain cultivars may do well at less than this amount. Avoid sites that are prone to late spring frosts, or provide frost protection where late frosts are likely. Plant Asian pears in deep, well-drained soils in a location as frost-free as possible. Chinese cultivars generally bloom a week or more before Japanese cultivars and are best pollinated with a Chinese cultivar. Be sure the cultivars you are planting will cross-pollinate and that their flowering periods overlap. Several cultivars are cross-incompatible, meaning they will not pollinate each other. All Asian pear cultivars should be considered self-incompatible, which means you need to plant another Asian pear cultivar as a companion for pollination purposes. The Japanese cultivars tend to be more round in shape, while the Chinese cultivars are more oval or pyriform (pear-shaped). European pears will be soft and juicy, with a sweeter, more mellow taste. Asian pears will be crisp and juicy, with some tartness, especially near the core. European pears are usually harvested in a green stage and allowed to ripen at room temperature. Asian pears reach optimum quality when allowed to ripen on the tree, similar to apples and peaches. There are also several differences between Asian pears and the more common European pear. The resemblance of these pears and apples, however, stops there. Most cultivars of Asian pears do resemble apples in that they have fruit that are round and have a crunchy texture. There is confusion with the name “apple pear,” as it may lead people to believe that the Asian pear is a cross between apples and pears. ![]() Asian pears are known by many names, including: Chinese, Japanese, Oriental, sand and apple pear.
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