My local council have just done a "free fruit trees" offer where houses in certain areas could register to get a free 2 year old fruit tree, the only choice you could make was whether you wanted an apple or pear tree. I went for a pear tree and have ended up with what looks like a good strong tree. The variety is doyenne du comice.
I have never had a fruit tree before. I'm assuming i cannot keep it in a pot. The only space i have for the tree is at the end of my 5 new raised beds. It gets the sun from early morning until about 4pm and wouldn't block out the sun for the rest of my plot. Would this be a good place to put it? Also how large do the trees get? and is there anything i need to do to it to help it get established?
Pear Trees
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Smurfy, a lot depends on what root stock your pear has been grafted onto, to how big it will get., it might be on a Quince C root stock.
You could grow your Pear in a large container, but this does mean more work, so probably better to plant it in the ground.
You could grow your Pear in a large container, but this does mean more work, so probably better to plant it in the ground.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Hi Smurfy,
However laudable it is for a council to distribute fruit trees the one thing that they have failed to think about is the fertilization of the tree.
Doyenne du Comice needs another variety to cross fertilize before you will get any Pears. If one of your neighbours could grow another variety suitable for fertilizing close-by then there is no problem.
JB.
However laudable it is for a council to distribute fruit trees the one thing that they have failed to think about is the fertilization of the tree.
Doyenne du Comice needs another variety to cross fertilize before you will get any Pears. If one of your neighbours could grow another variety suitable for fertilizing close-by then there is no problem.
JB.
Hi JB and OH,
Thanks for your replies. You are right i've just checked and it is on a Quince C rootstock which my paper also tells me is less vigorous than a Quince A but doesn't tell me the final size and how long it will take to get that high.
Re the polination. I had the same thought but the people at the council said that it wont be an issue as they have delivered 'numerous' varieties of apple and pear trees around my area so there will naturally be the cross polination and that living in a city that is less of an issue!
What is a good polinator for Doyenne du Comice? I don't really have space for another tree in the ground but i've seen these 2 types of pear on one stem trees offered in some seed catalogues. Would they be okay for polination? Also would they be okay to be grown in a large pot as i would have space for one on my patio.
Thanks for your replies. You are right i've just checked and it is on a Quince C rootstock which my paper also tells me is less vigorous than a Quince A but doesn't tell me the final size and how long it will take to get that high.
Re the polination. I had the same thought but the people at the council said that it wont be an issue as they have delivered 'numerous' varieties of apple and pear trees around my area so there will naturally be the cross polination and that living in a city that is less of an issue!
What is a good polinator for Doyenne du Comice? I don't really have space for another tree in the ground but i've seen these 2 types of pear on one stem trees offered in some seed catalogues. Would they be okay for polination? Also would they be okay to be grown in a large pot as i would have space for one on my patio.
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oldherbaceous
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Morning Smurfy, i think you will still be looking at a final height of between 8 and 15 feet, probably nearer 15 feet for Doyenne Du Comice, but they are quite an upright grower so not as bad as it sounds.
And this will take at least 10 years, then there's always formative pruning.
You do need to make sure the soil you are planting into is in good fettle, or you will end up with pear scab.
They don't like drying out all the while and don't like running out of nourishment.
So if you get one for a pot, it does need to be in a large container, and not allowed to dry out.
If Containerrised, it probably won't grow more than about 6 feet as the roots will be restricted.
If you do get a dual pear tree you will have to look at the flowering dates to know if they will be right for your pear. Doyenne Du Comice is a fairly late flowering one.
But so saying that, Pears don't flower over that long a period, so you would be unlucky to buy a dual pear that won't do the job.
And this will take at least 10 years, then there's always formative pruning.
You do need to make sure the soil you are planting into is in good fettle, or you will end up with pear scab.
They don't like drying out all the while and don't like running out of nourishment.
So if you get one for a pot, it does need to be in a large container, and not allowed to dry out.
If Containerrised, it probably won't grow more than about 6 feet as the roots will be restricted.
If you do get a dual pear tree you will have to look at the flowering dates to know if they will be right for your pear. Doyenne Du Comice is a fairly late flowering one.
But so saying that, Pears don't flower over that long a period, so you would be unlucky to buy a dual pear that won't do the job.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Hello Smurfy
This site has one of the best lists of fruit trees and all the information on them:
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/default.aspx
-just search for comice.
I have a single comice pear growing in a lawn at the side of the house. Its been there for about 15 years and it is much as OH describes. It is an upright tree and is easily managed, casting very little shade. The fruit is truly quite outstanding so you've been lucky with the variety you've been given. I don't have a special pollinator but there is a very old cooking pear growing nearby (don't know variety) and this seems to do the business. Keepers give pear 'Conference' as a pollinator and this is one of the most widely planted pears in gardens so with any luck someone nearby might be growing one. My guess is that if there is a suitable tree in the area you'll be OK - I don't think pollinators have to be right next door to each other.
I have tried dual purpose trees (apple) before and they don't work well. It is very very difficult to get a balanced growth - one variety eventually takes over and you finish up with a messy tree. Growing fruit trees in containers isn't easy either as watering is a real headache. If you do find you need another variety as pollinator and space is a problem the easiest thing would be to grow one as a cordon.
Do persevere with your Comice they really are worth the effort - you'll never want to eat a pear of any other variety!.
John
PS When you do eventually get a crop, as with most pears, they need picking off the tree a few weeks before they ripen. Then set them to ripen indoors.
This site has one of the best lists of fruit trees and all the information on them:
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/default.aspx
-just search for comice.
I have a single comice pear growing in a lawn at the side of the house. Its been there for about 15 years and it is much as OH describes. It is an upright tree and is easily managed, casting very little shade. The fruit is truly quite outstanding so you've been lucky with the variety you've been given. I don't have a special pollinator but there is a very old cooking pear growing nearby (don't know variety) and this seems to do the business. Keepers give pear 'Conference' as a pollinator and this is one of the most widely planted pears in gardens so with any luck someone nearby might be growing one. My guess is that if there is a suitable tree in the area you'll be OK - I don't think pollinators have to be right next door to each other.
I have tried dual purpose trees (apple) before and they don't work well. It is very very difficult to get a balanced growth - one variety eventually takes over and you finish up with a messy tree. Growing fruit trees in containers isn't easy either as watering is a real headache. If you do find you need another variety as pollinator and space is a problem the easiest thing would be to grow one as a cordon.
Do persevere with your Comice they really are worth the effort - you'll never want to eat a pear of any other variety!.
John
PS When you do eventually get a crop, as with most pears, they need picking off the tree a few weeks before they ripen. Then set them to ripen indoors.
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What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
Hi Smurfy,
As John has mentioned 'Conference' is a good pollinator and seems to serve me well on several other pears as well. Having never lived in a town let alone a city I must bow to the council employees knowledge. Here I am not so sure that it would be the same. Certainly Du Comice is a wonderful tasting pear and to my mind puts the 'Williams' to shame.
I do know that Du Comice are buggers to graft and have to be grafted twice due to not being compatible with other pear-woods as do several other varieties. However they may have sorted this problem out now because it is quite a time since I done any grafting.
I do so hope your Du Comice thrives for you because in the years to come you really will enjoy them.
JB.
As John has mentioned 'Conference' is a good pollinator and seems to serve me well on several other pears as well. Having never lived in a town let alone a city I must bow to the council employees knowledge. Here I am not so sure that it would be the same. Certainly Du Comice is a wonderful tasting pear and to my mind puts the 'Williams' to shame.
I do know that Du Comice are buggers to graft and have to be grafted twice due to not being compatible with other pear-woods as do several other varieties. However they may have sorted this problem out now because it is quite a time since I done any grafting.
I do so hope your Du Comice thrives for you because in the years to come you really will enjoy them.
JB.
Thanks for those replies. I planted it on sunday with loads of organic matter in the hole. i'm now watering it every third day for a couple of weeks and then down to once a week for the first 6 months just to help it get established. I will see how it does in the first year and if polination is poor i will have to review other options. I could always buy my next door neighbour a pear tree for her birthday 
I'm quite excited about it and will let you know how i get on.
Thanks again for you comments and suggestions.
I'm quite excited about it and will let you know how i get on.
Thanks again for you comments and suggestions.
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PLUMPUDDING
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A friend of mine who had a pear with no pollinator nearby used to beg a flowering twig from his sister's tree a few miles away and just transfer the pollen from that with a soft paint brush and he got some excellent crops.
But, I had a Conference for ages with no nearby trees to pollinate it and it always had a good crop anyway, it is quite an easy one to fruit.
But, I had a Conference for ages with no nearby trees to pollinate it and it always had a good crop anyway, it is quite an easy one to fruit.
Hi Plumpudding,
The 'Conference' Pear is self fertile but even then the quality of fruit is improved if cross pollinated. If left to pollinate itself the fruits tend to be rather misshapen.
I have the luck to have Wild Pears in the hedgerow alongside the orchard and also some enormous Perry Pear trees which all have four varieties grafted together on each tree. These trees have been here well over 100 years and are thought to date to around 1860. These plus the Conference see to the needs of all the other pears. A friend of mine had a conference and a couple of other pears and the other pears got blown down in a gale and the following years the Conference pears were all misshapen and until she planted three more varieties the Conference remained the same. The next year the Conference were all back to normal.
JB.
The 'Conference' Pear is self fertile but even then the quality of fruit is improved if cross pollinated. If left to pollinate itself the fruits tend to be rather misshapen.
I have the luck to have Wild Pears in the hedgerow alongside the orchard and also some enormous Perry Pear trees which all have four varieties grafted together on each tree. These trees have been here well over 100 years and are thought to date to around 1860. These plus the Conference see to the needs of all the other pears. A friend of mine had a conference and a couple of other pears and the other pears got blown down in a gale and the following years the Conference pears were all misshapen and until she planted three more varieties the Conference remained the same. The next year the Conference were all back to normal.
JB.
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PLUMPUDDING
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Hi Johnboy, That is interesting. I've got lots of other varieties of pear now, so don't have a problem with pollination, and can't remember any misshapen ones when the Conference was on its own, but that might be my memory failing me.
Do you ever use the old perry pears?
Do you ever use the old perry pears?
Hi PP,
I used to use the pears for Perry but now the entire lot go to a young chap in the village in return for a couple of gallons a year which is about my limit now. The blend of pears make a wonderful variety of Perry and those who planted them surely knew a thing or two.
I have got eight different varieties of pear and the pollination runs on from variety to variety assuring a good set. A couple of them are not that good for eating but do have a culinary use but they generally end up with the perry maker.
JB.
I used to use the pears for Perry but now the entire lot go to a young chap in the village in return for a couple of gallons a year which is about my limit now. The blend of pears make a wonderful variety of Perry and those who planted them surely knew a thing or two.
I have got eight different varieties of pear and the pollination runs on from variety to variety assuring a good set. A couple of them are not that good for eating but do have a culinary use but they generally end up with the perry maker.
JB.