I just planted two bare root Perdue pears here in the humid Southeast, 8b.
I’m excited about trialing Perdue and reporting the findings. Seems like Fireblight hasn’t been observed at all on this tree, but it hasn’t seen the commercial market yet as far as I’m aware.
Pedro
If they grow well perhaps you can offer a few scion next year. I’d be interested as I really don’t have room to plant the whole tree.
I need to correct myself. Home Orchard Education Center (manager is Tonia Lordy, who used to run HOS until it closed.)
Also if anyone is interested, HOEC is hosting some grafting classes in April.
I have 3 pear trees… starting year 3 this spring.
Kiefer, improved kiefer, orient.
Adding grafts of warren, karls favorite, potomac, bell to them this spring.
I have planted several (6-7) pear varieties here over the years… all died of fire blight a year or two after they started blooming.
I have hope for these new ones… will see how that works out.
TNHunter
I noticed she listed Seckel. I was growing it and needed to take this pear out due to FB.
Many pears called seckel are not actually seckel. Do you remember where yours came from? Harrow delight has little resistance anymore at my orchard.
Ok maybe that was the was the problem. I am not sure where I got it from but I was disappointed when I had to pull it.
I am a total novice, only started growing trees about five years ago. It must have something to do with the area . I really do not understand firelight. If you plant a Kieffer even an improved Kieffer it is gonna get firelight. It might survive it might not about 50:50 . The first year I planted my orient pear it looked terrible. I thought sure it was dead from fireblight. I cut it way back and it has been doing great The orient pear by far is the best looking and most productive tree I have, just ask the raccoons
The wife came back with a “Bartlett Pear” from Home Depot. I do not think we have the chill hours to make it fruit only on some years. It is a great, strong looking tree. But I fear it was a mark down special because it was not supposed to ship this far south. They had it marked down to $34 and 50% off that for clearance. So it was cheap enough for a clear 3 year old tree.
Guess I’ll graft other pears on it.
Warren will graft on it very easily and will produce in your area.
I have one old Bartlett here that the previous owner planted. It looks awful and I probably ought to do some restoration pruning, but it does still bear fruit. I’m also in zone 8b, but we have very wet winters and very dry summers. Potomac has resisted fire blight well for me, but the fruit are for whatever reason scabby and corky if I don’t bag them EARLY. I recently read that stink bugs can do that and we have a lot of them here.
That’s very interesting. I’m down in South Mississippi zone 8B I planted a Bartlett. I think I got it from Home Depot on sale. Fire blight is really bad down here. Most people say Bartlett will not survive. It doesn’t look that great. It’s only four years old, but looks like it might. Blossom this year
Spaulding might work. Originally it had blight resistance. I saw Home Depot carried them here. It makes a good canner. Problem with Bartlett is high chill hours. Leconte is a decent low chill canner. You just have to learn when they are fully grown or they get core rot. I see blight strikes on them but they seem to shrug it off with Quick pruning. Of course Perdue and Magness are better but box stores never have those. I give on Kieffer and Ayers. Just a waste of time here.
Keep in mind fireblight does not always know what is supposed to be resistant.