Has anyone had success with an asian pear tree in Zone 5? I think they're listed as hardy to zone 5, but I've never seen any in my area and I can't locate a grower in Canada.
I know Miller and a few others sell 'em but they won't ship outside the U.S.
Thanks, Greg USDA Zone 5
Do you know anyone in BC? Several years ago I looked in a few retail nurseries in Delta and Richmond. They had asian pears in 5 gal pots. Prices from $20 to $50.
There's a Canadian nursery listed here:
I've got 2 Shandong pears, they've done very well in zone 5, Ontario. I haven't been able to find asian pears at nurseries either which is an odd thing given how low maintenance they are. You may have contact Agriculture Canada
Perhaps you can offer him some leave buds from your trees. It's much faster than seeds. Years ago I was able to bud graft a few on young ornamental pears. As far as I know they are still bearing. I have no luck myself because squirrels get every last one before they reach golf ball size.
Try putting mesh nets around your pears. It will certainly deter the squirrels, and possibly stop them. If they are really hungry, they might chew through them, but I find the technique helps a lot.
Sherw> > I've got 2 Shandong pears, they've done very well in zone 5, Ontario.
That's a good idea. Greg, if you want some Shandong pear twigs, let me know. I've never seen squirrels eat pears but they'll dig a pit and throw the fallen pears in. :)
Pen, where did you get your tree? I don't have any experience with grafting or the like. I guess I'd need a rootstock on which to graft.
Hi Greg, I was visiting a friend in Arkansas last week and we were talking about bud grafting. He went over to one of his pear trees and found a that he was going to prune off in a few months anyway, cut a horizontal line about 1/2 inch above and below a leaf on the waterspout. Then he made two diagonal slices, one on each side of the leaf (it had a bud just above where the leaf stem attached to the waterspout), and carefully "skinned" it off the branch. Then he went to a limb that needed another bud, and made two horizontal slits in the limb about an inch apart, and one diagonal slit that connected the horizontal one. Then he just carefully peeled the bark back on the limb, placed the bud into the slit, replaced the bark over the bud, and taped it with masking tape.
The whole operation tool less than 10 to 15 minutes. He has done this for years, apparently and showed me where he started with a pear tree that had been broken off by the wind and put up a waterspout. He grafted the bud onto the waterspout and pruned it to make the bud the main stem of the pear tree.
That tree isn't very pretty, but he sure has some good pears off of it. Back to your original question, I get mine from Stark located in Washington or Oregon. They may ship to you but I cant say for sure. You might talk to them. I just looked but couldn't find their catalog for an address or e-mail, but you might find them on the internet.
Dwayne
They were gifts from friends when we moved here 27 years ago. I sprouted a Ya pear from seeds 2 years ago. It's taking winter quite well. I'll have to wait to see if it'll fruit...
Greg. I was wrong. I ordered them from Raintree in Washington. 1 888 770
8358 or RaintreeNursery.com. You might want to try them.Dwayne
I wondered when Stark moved to Washington. ;-)
Dwayne wrote:
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