Clarkins thanks so much for the feedback! Are you growing standard or semi dwarf varieties?
That’s the catch 22 , it depends on the rootstock. I usually go with BET rootstocks on Asian pears which are technically taller than a standard full size pear. On my ground due to clay / loam soil and Asian pears the trees will get 12-20’ at best. I do put some on ohxf97 rootstock. Asian pears have a tendency to runt out at about 10-15’ because they produce fruit much faster than European pears. The one exception that gets huge are harbin pear rootstocks. If you put an Asian pear on a dwarf rootstock the tree may only get 6’ and runt out. The dwarfs don’t have enough vigor to push an Asian pear to any height. If you put a European pear on BET rootstock it could be 10-15’ taller than an Asian pear because they are slower to come into bearing in most cases. A dwarf European pear on Oxf333 may get 10-12’ so twice the height of an Asian on the same rootstock.
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Wow – you are are a treasure trove of information. Did you order your dripping honey on standard or semi-dwarf rootstocks? Is there a reason why Gurneys won’t tell folks which one they use?
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It’s easier for them to just say standard pear and use one of the several rootstocks they have on hand such as those rootstocks mentioned. I don’t recall which one my pears are on. Henry fields typically is a little cheaper than gurneys for the same trees.
Have you found anyone who sells this on a dwarfing root stock? Looks like gurneys is sold out of their dwarfing varieties. Google didn’t turn up much. 
I would get the standard I think it won’t get very big anyway since it’s an Asian pear http://www.henryfields.com/product/Drippin_Honey_Pear_Tree/fruit-trees-and-nut-trees.
This post will give you an idea of the size of the trees Here comes the 2016 apple and Pear harvest!
I smiled when I saw this. “Runting out 10-15’”? 15’ is already bigger than I want my trees to get. Too much ladder work.
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Bob,
They can be pruned to 10’ with no problem. Guess I like my trees on the bigger side.
I agree Bob, the older I get… Size does matter…
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Same here. I am trying to keep my trees at a height of 8’ or less. I use a ladder on my one standard tree but I don’t want to use one for the others.
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Tall trees produce more pears in less space. It’s not that I’m short on room I just want to be efficient.
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Getting ready to eat the last of my Drippin honey pears. I know keeping these pears until February 16th in cold storage was ridiculous but I wanted to see how long they would keep. The skin is wrinkled now and it’s time to eat them.
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I am with you about the height. I want them about 8’ or so in height. Too tall and you can’t get the fruit or even spray it correctly. A lot of wasted fruit usually. Especially when it falls to the ground. I’m getting too old to fall off a ladder and try and heal quickly. Ouch!
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[quote=“clarkinks, post:34, topic:2237, full:true”]
Remember Drippin’ honey are patented Tony so you don’t want to grow that and fruit it.
[/quote]As far as I know the patent is not effective yet which is odd after like 3 or more years, even in the websites selling it they say (Plant Patent Applied For), until the patent is effective we can do whatever we like with this variety, when and if it becomes active whatever we’d do would be grandfathered in so to speak, yet the patent would prevent from reproducing or distributing any further.
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Interesting I thought it was patented.
[quote=“clarkinks, post:56, topic:2237, full:true”]
Interesting I thought it was patented.
[/quote]It’s rare that a company who wants a plant patented would release it before it’s patented. Usually when something is patented the patent number is available online.
There was a Trademark put on the “Drippin’ honey” name though, which means no one could sell “Drippin’ honey” or anything else using the name “Drippin’ honey”
well, if anyone has a stick of something they call “Schmippin Schmoney”, and they’d like to PM me, it sounds good enough I’m inclined to look for a scion or 2, and I don’t care what I tag it as (and probably would in fact write something similar)…if it isn’t patented I’d love to try a stick.
PM me?
*crosses schmingers
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Looks like the trademark expired already http://www.trademarkia.com/drippin-honey-73329731.html trademark was bought by Charles P. Belue the owner of Belue Trucking. Route 3, Campobello, South Carolina 29322.
I just got a verification that there is no patent on “Drippin’ Honey” http://www.trademarkia.com/patent-searchresult.aspx?pn=Drippin’+Honey
PS
This variety has been around since at least 1952, and I am guessing rediscovered.
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