>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the harvest time
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>to feel a bit soft at the stem, take them inside and let them ripen off
>the tree.
Asian pears, unlike European pears, are crisp when ripe and don't need
to be ripened off the tree like European pears. They don't develop the
woody granular structures (sclerids) that European pears do, nor do they
develop the melting, buttery texture that has been standard in European
pears since the 18th century.
The best way to figure out when your pears are ripe is to try fruit at
different stages and decide which you like best. Ripening dates are an
average for a particular region, and weather and microclimate can make
a substantial difference. Your backyard is probbly quite different in
microclimate from a commercial orchard.
Another poster suggested that the damage was due to birds not insects.
You can get plastic bird netting at garden centres to drape over your
trees if they aren't too large. In Japan, where people are willing to
pay amazing amounts for perfect, pesticide-free fruit, growers bag each
fruit individually to protect it from damage as it grows. The bags are
made of that light porous row cover material, or light cloth. This may be
practical for a few backyard trees. Don't use plastic bags, or you'll
cook the fruit!
Enjoy your harvest!
Tom J - 19 Jul 2008 15:49 GMT
>>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
>>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> need
> to be ripened off the tree like European pears.
Correct. If you wait for an Asian pear to feel soft at the stem, you
will never get pears that are ready to eat!! If they get soft, they
are rotten.
Tom J
Sherwin - 23 Jul 2008 07:09 GMT
>>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
>>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the harvest time
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
> Enjoy your harvest!
I have had only limited experience with Asian Pears, my tree died after
a few years. You may be right about rippening them off the tree.
However, I disagree about putting plastic over them cooking them. I put
ziplock bags on my European Pears and Apples with no problems. Maybe
the fact that I cut slits in the bottom to drain rain water alos vents them.
Sherwin
Rick - 23 Jul 2008 17:47 GMT
>>>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
>>>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the harvest time
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
>
> Sherwin
I had heard about the waxed paper bags the Japanese use, but could not
find them here. I think I'll try the zip lock bags. You just cut a
small slit in the bag at the bottom?
sherwindu - 31 Jul 2008 06:22 GMT
> >>>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
> >>>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the harvest time
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
> find them here. I think I'll try the zip lock bags. You just cut a
> small slit in the bag at the bottom?
Works great for me. Yes, you need the slit (I do one on each side of the bag)
to let the rain water drain out. Put the bags on early, as soon as the fruit is
easy to identify. I pick the largest and healthiest fruit in a cluster and cut off
the others. This kind of thinning will produce large fruit and will put less
stress on the tree.
Sherwin