Kieffer not producing fruit?

BC Buck

5 year old buck +
Bought 4 trees from reputable on line supplier and variety was said to be fire blight resistant. Lost 3 first year to fire blight. Found HD had some Kieffer and bought when marked down in fall. 4 trees are about 12 years old and 6" in diameter. Every year original tree produces fruit and other 3 might have one pear between the three. The three from HD dont produce near the flowers in spring. Is there anything I can do with non producers. This is in northern MO.
 
While Kieffer pears are self-fertile and can produce fruit with a single tree, planting a second pear tree, especially another variety, can significantly increase fruit production through cross-pollination
 
While Kieffer pears are self-fertile and can produce fruit with a single tree, planting a second pear tree, especially another variety, can significantly increase fruit production through cross-pollination
Have two others of different variety there also. Where planted 3 years ago, from root prune pots and have not really grown. Thats for another post but that nursery close to me I have had poor results from.
 
Any chance those pears are in a low area that could be considered a frost pocket?
 
Any chance those pears are in a low area that could be considered a frost pocket?
1/2 way up a big incline south facing slope. When coming out bottom field after PM hunt about same elevation you feel a instant temp drop I could never explain. I have apples in same orchard that most time will have some fruit. Those HD trees get few flowers and not able to tell you if bloom earlier than one with fruit every year.
 
1/2 way up a big incline south facing slope. When coming out bottom field after PM hunt about same elevation you feel a instant temp drop I could never explain. I have apples in same orchard that most time will have some fruit. Those HD trees get few flowers and not able to tell you if bloom earlier than one with fruit every year.

I have some massive pear trees in a frost pocket that have never produced. Apples will occasionally produce down there, but they are affected to some degree as well. Persimmons are the only fruit trees not affected. That of course is due to how late they flower. Half way up the incline might not be enough to keep you out of a problem. It depends on the topography and how deep the colder air settles. A couple of degrees difference in temperature can make a tremendous difference.

Other than that, Pears are almost bulletproof for me. Sometimes a late freeze will also get them on high ground, but that is also true of apples and other fruit.
 
Anythign a bit of a challenge far as soil conditions go? MY store bought kieffer had some fireblight on it. PEars in general do bloom earlier than apples. Also, in general pear trees take a longer time to bear fruit than apples.
 
Iv never done grafting but after this many years of Home Depo trees not producing I need to do something. Are they to old to cut down and try a graft with tree that produces?
 
Iv never done grafting but after this many years of Home Depo trees not producing I need to do something. Are they to old to cut down and try a graft with tree that produces?

Six inches is a big gap to fill. It might work okay, but you also have the risk of getting too much decay before it can close the gap. I did a 4 1/2 inch diameter apple tree three years ago, and it still lacks just a tad closing in, but it looks like it will eventually be okay. And, I did get several nice apples off of it last year.

There is another method you could try, but I warn you that there is at least some risk of losing the tree. You can cut the tree off at the ground and put a cage around it. You should start getting shoots coming up from the root system. The cage is to protect the shoots from being eaten by deer. Keep the best looking shoot and keep the others trimmed back. In a couple of years when the shoot is about 2 or 3 inches in diameter, topwork it to your desired pear variety.

All of this is fine and dandy, but if your problem is a frost pocket, you end up with the same problem as you started with. Best Wishes.
 
Last edited:
Check the bloom time for the trees of differing sources. Are all of the pear trees blooming at the same time?

I have had terrible luck getting pear trees to fruit on our northern MO farms. I am convinced it is frost pockets. Even in one of our sites that is on a south facing slope about 1/3rd from the top of the slope, we still lose blooms to a late frost every couple of years.
 
IF you determined........ Shoveling more snow around the roots of your fruit tree will make it bloom later. Of course, if there's snow.

One thing I notcied last week digging up apple trees, the ground was thawed, but where I mulched well it has a 2 inch ring of frost right under the mulch. Heavy mulching could help you out there.
 
Back
Top