January 27th, 2012 
admin A very important item to consider in raising home pears is their degree of susceptibility to fire blight, a bacterial disease difficult or impossible to control with some varieties. Apparently all varieties of pears are susceptible to fire blight. but several are less susceptible than others. Only those varieties known to be fairly blight resistant will be discussed here. Of course there are varieties other than the ones named which also may be reasonably resistant.
The same organism infects apples, quince, hawthorn and a few other plants. It may be worth-while to remove these co-host plants, with the exception of apples, if fire blight becomes a serious hurdle in producing pears.
Pomologists have found that a pear rootstock of the variety Old Home imparts some degree of resistance to blight in the scion tip. This rootstock. however. does not result in dwarfed trees which are so well adapted for home plantings. Another rootstock of a different species, the Angers quince, will result in dwarf pear trees, but it does not help in the control of fire blight- and, in addition. some pear varieties are incompatible with quince. The problem can be solved by growing the pear varieties of your choice, grafted on Old Home trunk, which in turn has been grafted on an Angers rootstock.
Pollination problems exist with pears as with apples. Success is more likely when two or more varieties are included in the planting. For dwarf pear and suggested varieties check with your favorite local nurseryman specializing in pears.
Thinning the fruits. as with the apple, is a worth-while practice.
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