Pear tree - when are you gonna bear fruit?

[FB.]

I've shown this picture before, but it shows the kind of root power that I need in my pitiful soil:
It's a maiden apple on MM111 (vigorous) rootstock.
Above ground it's the size of a bamboo cane, probably 5ft tall and half inch thick.
Below ground the roots are huge; many multiples of the size of what can be seen above ground.
The picture doesn't do it full justice as many of the roots are bent and curled over each other, or drooping downwards. They could be stretched 2ft or so in all directions.
In good soil, that little stick could reach 5m in 10-15 years. In my soil it'll reach about 2-3m above ground, although the roots will be much larger than what can be seen above-ground; frighteningly large to compensate for the poor soil by spreading far and wide probably twice the spread of the canopy.

With all those roots, it's no wonder that MM111 has a reputation for being a drought-resistant, slightly more vigorous version of the non-drought-tolerant MM106.
Drought was quite a topical thing on the news tonight, actually.
My MM111's, M25's and Pyrus have no fear of a hosepipe ban.

[Cooper 57]

concorde pear tree

I bought a 'concorde' pear tree from a reputable nursery three years ago and it has stormed away. Plenty of blossom last year but most of it got blasted off in a storm but I did get half a dozen pears. Other than putting a good dollop of muck and some bone meal in the planting hole I've done nothing to it. I'm sure FB is right that a pampered tree is less likely to fruit.

I have the same issue with my 2, 5 year old tree's, every year lot's of blossom but no or very little fruit, yet they put on a lot of growth, i don't feed them at all. also i notice browning on leaves on both tree's, i bought them mainly because they are self fertile + looking forward to the pear's

[BUFFS]

i had loads of blossom on my pear trees as we left for a break, so I wasn't able to germinate these flowers with my little paintbrush on the end of a long cane, and when we came back there was no sign of blossom or young fruit so it will have to be next year for our first pears..

[PurpleBecca]

I read this thread with interest. I have a lidl conference that has been in the ground ten years its about eight or nine feet tall and growing well. Not a single flower has it ever had! I don't water or feed it, its on the side of a hill in Southern Ireland.... Is it time to evict it or shall I leave for my heir? She is a17year old keen gardener hoping to head off to horticultural college next year... So maybe she can sort it!!!

[Jay22]

I had loads of blossom on my conference pear tree but only have around half a dozen fruits which appear to have stopped growing. No idea why. I was getting excited thinking about eating my first home grown pear too!

[Teabag]

my pear HAD blossom but no sign of fruit :'(

same with my apple and cherries.. they've only been in a year, am I being too impatient?

[Riki_j]

All fruit trees require Honey Bees to polinate even some butterflies will help

Hi All,
Is there anything I can do to start my pear tree producing blossom and then some fruit. I have a small garden so space is valuable and I am getting very frustrated my pear tree has yet to blossom. I am seriously thinking of giving up on the tree and digging it out this spring if once again no blossom. Any ideas and advice will be greatly appreciated and to help those in the know I will now give you as much information about this tree as I can. It is a Conference pear, planted in the ground three years ago. Planted in a sunny spot. It has grew well and each of the last couple of years I have lightly pruned it so the sunlight and air can reach the centre of the tree. The tree is about 8 feet high, well branced and the main trunk is sturdy. It is growing in the Croydon area and a Conference pear is growing in each of the two adjacent neighbours' gardens and they are fruiting each year. . I don't think it is growing rapidly and therefore not interested in fruiting - I say this because the growth of the tree each near is not excessive. Do pear trees takes 5 or more years before they fruit so all this is normal? Can you be unlucky and have a tree that will possibly never fruit? Would your advice be to get rid of it or bew more patient? Please help. Thanks.

All fruit trees require pollination. Bees are killed off by so many people now days ( not realizing they may be ( honey bees, and Not Wasps, ) and its to the detriment of any needed pollination of fruit and gardens .. I would suggest planting a butterfly tree or something else that will draw bees and butterflies to your garden. I have had a Pear tree and very true there has been a year or two when the blossoms have gone unpollinated and bore hardly any fruit. Be patient and try to encourage pollination by planting a few other bushes that draw the needed little friends.

[Jungle Jane]

Pears need a pollination partner,a tree from the same group that flower at the same time or something like that. If you have no flowers at all I’d stop pruning it for a year,a lot of fruit grows on year old or two year old wood & sprinkle some sulphur of potash around the tree to help encourage it to fruit.

Edit - some apples & a lot of cherries need a partner too...

[nickdub]

I've read this thread through and there seems to be number of people in different parts of the country who are having problems with pear trees.

For what its worth I think pears in most places in this country are much more difficult to grow successfully then either apples or plums. Now obviously there are areas with a favorable climate and good soil where with a little attention to what you plant you can put in a pear tree and expect to see some fruit on 4 or 5 years. Then there are people who are experts and mange to coax a crop out of a tree in a less than ideal place by dint of growing it against a wall, hand-pollinating etc.

But my general advice would be only bother with pears when you have the other fruit you like already covered ie get your apples, plums and soft fruit banged in first and if you still have space and like pears, then give them a whirl next. But do read up on varieties of pears, pollination and plan against the average weather in your neck of the woods before buying anything.

[Mark_Riga]

And when you grow pears successfully, it can be hit and miss whether, when you bite into one, it is hard and crunchy, starting to rot in the middle or absolutely delicious with juice dripping from your chin.