When I tried to do some research I usually find information very scattered. I would like to create specific post about each cultivar that I have. I am not a pro or anything but you can consider this what I have learned.
This variety is called Chojuro. It is an asian pear that ripen in early August. This tree is on its 5th leaf in my hobby orchard. I got this tree from Stark Bros nursery. It is the least vigorous asian pear I have. It is very productive. Below is a few pictures of my harvest and a youtube video of it. If you have any pictures or information of your own. You are welcome to add it below.
That’s okay,it’s in the Pictures! section and other people can add theirs also.
I have a Chojuro/Drippin’ Honey,which hasn’t produced any DH,but has a few of the others this year though.
A few grafts were done last year and this,so they may fruit in 2018. Brady
I don’t spray any of my tree this year. The aluminum vent tube has rivets that click together. They are only chimpmunk proof. I need to prune my trunk higher for squirrel. Currently the woodpeckers and ravens are also attacking my pears.
First off great video keep em coming! I used to use the duct like that on my pears. It stopped raccoons does nothing for squirrels. @alan does something like this too for squirrels but I can’t remember the details. Maybe he can chime in. Of those two varieties, Chojuro and Shinsieki, which do you prefer?
Chojuro seems to be consistently sweeter. However Shinseiki smell like rose apple. Anyway recomend both for backyard grower because they ripen at completely different time. Korean Giant ripen last and it is my favorite.
I staple aluminum roofing coil to the trunks of trees starting about a foot above the ground (higher if I can) and staple a 3’ + cylinder of roofing coil fairly snugly to the trunk- you need a long branchless trunk to work with- I train trees in my nursery to have first tier between 4 and 5’ above the ground. That alone keeps coons and possums away but squirrels sometimes require a 3-1 blend of motor oil and lithium grease to be painted on to the metal. At a few sites the slick has to be reapplied every 2-3 weeks if squirrels won’t give up and end up removing enough grease to muscle up the metal. I guarantee it works with the grey and red squirrels that inhabit the many orchards I manage- at least half are protected with this method I developed- and these orchards would loose everything if they weren’t so protected.
Some sites I have to use that AND nets to keep the birds away also.
@Sunny_Orchard thanks for your opinions. I’ve not planted any Asian pears just yet. I still have room though.
@alan Here’s a classic for you. My buddy heats a bottle of vegetable oil in a big skillet and adds two handfuls of diced hot peppers from his garden and then scoops and entire tub of crisco into it. First though, he watched which branch the squirrels were jumping on to climb into his pecan tree…
He has flashing around the tree but the flashing alone couldn’t do the job. So the hot pepper mix came together. He uses a wallpaper brush and slathers that stuff all over the limb. Then he watched the squirrels get it on their paws. They’d grab a pecan and roll it around and take a bite of it and throw in down on the ground and run!
==========
Story two: Our now gone ‘Hark’ ortet pecan tree always had enough flashing so the squirrels couldn’t get up to the first tier. So, this is what they did:
Chojuro has consistently been my favorite Asian pear - and year-in/year-out, one of the most productive.
Spring frosts this year decimated the pear crop - very minimal to no fruit on most of my pears, but Chojuro had a small crop… I was looking forward to having some just right to share with the kids when they come in for the Solar Eclipse on 21 Aug, but raccoons or possums or something have been knocking them out and between them and the local deer, they were disappearing at a rapid clip… I picked the last two remaining pears on Saturday, just so I could have a couple… even though they’re not quite ready yet.
Chojuro is one of my favorites, they always look beautiful. But they are also squirrel favorites and are right on the orchard edge so I often don’t get any. This year they cleared them out. Fortunately the Chojuro sacrificed for the further-away Shinsui and Kosui which the squirrels didn’t touch.
I know the feeling. You want the sweetest. However if you keep on waiting, you may not get any. I am glad that they also taste very good under ripe. The seed is still white on most of the ones I have eaten.
