I’ve spent a small fortune on pear trees over the years…

[Triple C]

…only to come to the conclusion that the good ol‘ native persimmon tree outshines my pears every single year. My orchard plot contains 8 Kieffer pear trees. Loaded with fruit back in June. Maybe 1/2 dozen pears on ‘em when I checked this morning. They have cast their fruit. In total, 18 pear trees planted since 2012, a mix of Kieffer n Orient. Most years frost wipes out the fruit. Years when they do produce, fruit gone by the time season gets here. After 11 years of managing my place, I’m done with pear trees.

My good ol native persimmons that I’ve never spent a dime on just continue to shine year after year. Critters plant ‘em for free. Always loaded with fruit. Deer will dodge arrows to get to them. And they drop from just about opening day of archery season all the way to the end of October and a few even later.

No pruning…no battling fire blight…no nothing. Just watch em grow and produce fruit every year. Lesson learned. Mother Nature knows best.

 

[AugustaDawg]

Ga forestry sells them pretty cheap too!

 

[Dustin Pate]

The best pears I’ve found around here are the old school what I call summer pears or sand pears. They seem to produce yearly with zero input by me. Deer will tear them up also.

 

[Nicodemus]

The best pears I’ve found around here are the old school what I call summer pears or sand pears. They seem to produce yearly with zero input by me. Deer will tear them up also.

That`s the Kiefer pear. My Great Granddaddy planted one on the homeplace somewhere around 1898 and it`s still doing well to this day. Only thing I ever saw done to it was having the fireplace ashes dumped around it a couple of times every winter.

 

[trad bow]

I’ve got two pear trees in the backyard and the deer wear them out. Persimmons are candy to wildlife. Need several planted in backyard.

 

[ucfireman]

I haven't seen a pear on mine. At least not any that made it to maturity and fell.
I was told its probably squirrels, I don't know.
I planted them for the deer and hoped to get a few, that hasn't happened and my oldest tree is about 8+-.
I got a bunch of 1-2 year old persimmon seedlings I'm going to move and try to create a grove or 2-3 of. I plan on putting about 4-6 trees in a area together.

About done with apples too, I have planted around 10-15 over the years and they just dont do.
Im a lazy tree grower, if a tree cant take care of itself than its doomed.

 

[Triple C]

I haven't seen a pear on mine. At least not any that made it to maturity and fell.
I was told its probably squirrels, I don't know.
I planted them for the deer and hoped to get a few, that hasn't happened and my oldest tree is about 8+-.
I got a bunch of 1-2 year old persimmon seedlings I'm going to move and try to create a grove or 2-3 of. I plan on putting about 4-6 trees in a area together.

About done with apples too, I have planted around 10-15 over the years and they just dont do.
Im a lazy tree grower, if a tree cant take care of itself than its doomed.

Yep. Didn’t even wanna bring up my apple tree frustrations.

 

[Triple C]

That`s the Kiefer pear. My Great Granddaddy planted one on the homeplace somewhere around 1898 and it`s still doing well to this day. Only thing I ever saw done to it was having the fireplace ashes dumped around it a couple of times every winter.

Nic - My son lives in a brick ranch built back in the late 50s that has an old, narly kiefer on it. Thing is always loaded with pears. I think I must have a weird micro-climate on my place, not to mention I planted them in the lower areas of the property where frost tends to settle first. For reasons I don‘t understand, the years they do produce they seem to abort the fruit this time of year.

Persimmons just do their thing every year with no input.

 

[GeorgeShu]

I had the same situation at the house. Tree had a bunch of fruit, next time I checked nary a single pear to be found. Old Kiefer still retaining a small crop like nearly every year. Strange.

 

[Deernut3]

I've been marking my fruit producing persimmons preparing to do some grafting next spring. Some huge male trees are getting a sex change next spring. You should look into the Arkansas black apples, I've got some 12 year old trees that produce every year and require little maintenance.

 

[mattb78]

Thanks for the post. It takes a little humility to post mistakes but it really benefits the board when we do.

 

[Jason C]

Ga forestry sells them pretty cheap too!

would not let me order any on site

 

[AugustaDawg]

would not let me order any on site

Did you go here?
https://gaseedlings.org/fruit-bearing/persimmon-nur8
You can order 10, 50, 250, or 500.

 

[Semi-Pro]

I think I have 10,000 non fruit producing native persimmon trees on my property. Guess I need to learn how to graft

 

[Triple C]

I think I have 10,000 non fruit producing native persimmon trees on my property. Guess I need to learn how to graft

Surely you have quite a few females with that many. My most prolific producers are on the edge of fields where they get full sun. However, have some really huge ones in the bottoms on the edge of swamps/beaver sloughs that are loaded each year.

Ain't gonna spend another penny or an hour of time caring for my pears. Hopefully at some point a few of them turn into old narly trees that produce every year. Ain't holding out hope though.

 

[Coop]

I said those same words to my sweetie today! Out of 10 pear trees and 3 apples that were eat up with fruit earlier, I picked the last one of each yesterday just to prove that we had em. My simmons are loaded this year - last year the 21 deg Late March day in middle Ga wiped even them out. They are resilient as all get out, though! I looked at a food plot I let go fallow last year and they were popping up everywhere! Got high hopes for the chestnuts but seems they ain’t crazy about hunnerd deg. weeks with no water - lost 4 this year! Installing a drip irrigation system in the big orchard next year! Sure can be a challenge sometimes but I sure do love it!

 

[sleepr71]

I’ve noticed a lot of random Persimmon trees dying the last year,or so.

 

[mudracing101]

I think I have 10,000 non fruit producing native persimmon trees on my property. Guess I need to learn how to graft

me and you both

 

[Triple C]

I said those same words to my sweetie today! Out of 10 pear trees and 3 apples that were eat up with fruit earlier, I picked the last one of each yesterday just to prove that we had em. My simmons are loaded this year - last year the 21 deg Late March day in middle Ga wiped even them out. They are resilient as all get out, though! I looked at a food plot I let go fallow last year and they were popping up everywhere! Got high hopes for the chestnuts but seems they ain’t crazy about hunnerd deg. weeks with no water - lost 4 this year! Installing a drip irrigation system in the big orchard next year! Sure can be a challenge sometimes but I sure do love it!

Right there with you. Gonna see if I can find any pears left on the tree this weekend and take a pic. Loaded 2 months ago. I'll be lucky to find a single pear on em when I get down this weekend.

 

[mallardsx2]

My pears are turning brown. Not sure why. Not rotting but turning brown in color. I will try to post a picture of them.