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Garden Gate: growing a pear tree from seed |
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country lawyer
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
1022 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 5:35:37 PM
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Has anyone had the pleasure of eating a "royal riviera" pear? Oh my goodness, they are fabulous! Big, sweet, succulent, refreshing. Yummy. And, this is from someone who, before now, would have told you that I am NOT a pear fan. A friend sent us these amazing "royal riviera" pears from Harry and David this Christmas. And, now that I'm an official farmgirl wannabe, I'm thinking, I bet I can take these little seeds and start a tree in my own backyard. I checked my huge pile of books and found one that tells me exactly how to start an apple or peach tree from the seeds/pits. Have any of you tried to start a fruit tree from seed? Any luck? Boy, it would be worth some effort for these pears.
"All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well." Julian of Norwich |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 6:24:46 PM
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I believe you would have to grow two varieties Rebekah...one of your royals and another variety. Then you would have to graft the royal onto the rootstock of the other variety to get it to produce what you want. We had neighbors who played around with grafting and had three different kinds of apples on the same tree. Strange thing to look at. Don't be intimidated by grafting...it's not as hard to do as it seems at first.
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julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 9:21:34 PM
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OK, for a farmgirl wanna-be you are sure taking the bull by the horns! I have absolutely no idea how to start a tree from a seed, but you go girl..experiment away and let me know how you do!! What a fabulous thing to do.. I wish you great luck, success and fun!! cheers, Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2006 : 04:32:49 AM
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Rebekah, I think the pear would have to be an heirloom variety to grow from seed. Most fruit trees have been grafted onto a hardier root stock. This means that the fruit of the tree comes from the top growth only and the roots are from a hardy root that may not grow great fruit. An heirloom variety would have the same roots as top growth and fruit. I would call your local cooperative extension and ask the fruit specialists ( most have one) if this variety can be started from seed. |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2006 : 05:05:16 AM
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Or to further assist, heirloom varieties will return as the same thing you ate. MOST of what we get from the store are hybrids, meaning, the seed you plant won't produce the same thing you ate. Most fruit trees take two plants. There are some varieties that just grow from one tree too. But to date, I have only seen this for cherry trees. I tried growing Fugi apple seeds. They were able to germinate and did grow, but I didn't water the seedlings enough and wasn't serious, so they died. I have tried to plant peach pits, but to date haven't had success. Have also saved some pear seeds of my own to plant, so we'll see. Same goes for peppers. I saved seed from the big pretty yellow and red varieties, planted those and ended up with tiny green peppers. They eventually turned colors, but were no where near the size as store bought. And also too, unless its stated as organic, ALL grocery store fruit and veggies have been ultra sprayed with pesticides, and wax and boosted with fertilizer in order to get so big and pretty. In the winter I supplement with minimal store bought, and just wash everything really well before we eat it. If you want to have some fun in the next couple years, find a couple cool looking gourds, like one of those tiny Jack-be-little pumpkins, or a big punpkin for that matter. Plant a few seeds and see whaht comes back. |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2006 : 05:48:10 AM
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Anna, Thank you, your explanation is much easier to understand. |
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country lawyer
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
1022 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2006 : 09:28:42 AM
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Thank all of you for your help and advice. I should have known it would not be so easy as to just plant the seed. That royal riveria pear was extraordinary, believe me. I saw a "hood pear" tree at Wal-Mart yesterday. Thought I'd look into that one. Any body know anything about that variety of pear? Anna, thanks for the ideas. You guys are soooooo experienced and informative.
"All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well." Julian of Norwich |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2006 : 08:04:05 AM
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Happy to assist Have been married to a farmer for 6 years now so it's good to be able to finally pass along what I have learned.
You just never know 'till ya try. And experimenting is half the fun!
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Garden Gate: growing a pear tree from seed |
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