What Are Your Favorite Varieties of Pear

[tlh2865]

I hear a lot of people say that they prefer to grow pears because they require a lot less maintenance, but aside from Kieffer I haven't heard many varieties named.
What are your favorite disease resistant pear varieties to plant for wildlife (as well as personal use), from summer all the way through fall.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

I will be planting kieffer, moonglo, olympic, and likely some of the offerings from the wildlike group (which are more of a wild pear variety that have been chosen to sell based on performance)

I also have some anjou and Bartlett pears as I like to eat them, but they have more issues.

None of mine are producing, but I will be done planting in a few years and then its a waiting game!

 

[Brushpile]

Like apples, pears have varied drop times, so a variety of pears can be planted to get deer coming and keep deer coming. Kieffer and Korean Giant/Olympic Pear are good late season varieties that drop late and last on the ground until eaten.

 

[tlh2865]

I have 4 kieffers already, I am looking to move my drop times back earlier into the fall and late summer.

 

[Native Hunter]

Ayers - especially good for eating. Some will hang on the tree until overripe so have to be picked.

Moonglow - Not especially good for eating compared to Ayers, but bulletproof large pear. Heavy cropper.

Gallaway - First crop for me this year and no sign of any disease. Small pear still ripening. Looks perfect for deer.

Senator Clark - Another first crop this year. Very impressive so far. Large pear.

Kieffer - lives up to the hype. Hard to beat for wildlife and better tasting than given credit for.

None of the above show any hint of FB or leaf spotting for me.

I have several other varieties in the ground waiting for experience with them.

 

[Flo1919]

Olympic
No hassle, late drop time, yearly fruit set.
My Euro-pears seem to skip some years.

 

[Doctorbrady]

Several good ones listed above. I have a Seckel that has never had fireblight, though they are not immune. Ledbetter is supposed to be very close to immune. Magness is another good choice.
Rootstock is probably more important as a tree on resistant rootstock like OHXF 87 or 97 is likely to survive even if the limbs take a hit from time to time.

 

[Seabee]

Kieffer - lives up to the hype. Hard to beat for wildlife and better tasting than given credit for.

When do your Kieffer drop? My Lowe's just got a whole shipment of Moonglow, Kieffer and Ayers. Debating on which one to get for a October/November drop time.

 

[Native Hunter]

When do your Kieffer drop? My Lowe's just got a whole shipment of Moonglow, Kieffer and Ayers. Debating on which one to get for a October/November drop time.

They will begin dropping here in early October and keep dropping (depending on the weather/wind/etc.) past mid October.

 

[dogdoc]

When do your Kieffer drop? My Lowe's just got a whole shipment of Moonglow, Kieffer and Ayers. Debating on which one to get for a October/November drop time.

I'd get a Kieffer and a Moonglow and plant them nearby each other.

 

[Native Hunter]

I'd get a Kieffer and a Moonglow and plant them nearby each other.

Yes, that is what I would do too. My Moonglow are still hanging as of right now as well. I can't remember exactly when they drop but it is before Kieffer. All the Ayers are gone, except for the ones still in my refrigerator.

 

[Seabee]

I'd get a Kieffer and a Moonglow and plant them nearby each other.

Done! Thanks so much.

 

[Nebraskaz71]

Bumping this back up, i'm on the extreme cold end of zone 5, some maps count me as 4. I currently have a kieffer and plan to pick up one more pear from lowes this spring. The other two varieties they carry are ayers and moonglow, what would be the best addition to my kieffer thats plenty disease resistant and is better for fresh eating?

 

[Neahawg]

Ayers would be my guess though I'm unsure of you zone. My advise would be wait until lows knocks the trees down to 75% and pick you one up for cheap so if it doesn't make it your not out to much.

 

[Gator]

IME, Kieffer have some of the worst growth habits out there. My Orient pears seem to have the best growth and also were the first to produce pears. I'm still waiting to get pears from my kieffers.

 

[Mortenson]

For you guys with the Korean Giant - Olympic pears, do you have pollinator trees nearby or are they pollinating well on their own? I've heard they tend to overproduce.

 

[Nebraskaz71]

Also interested in korean giants, kieffer pollinates them right? Sounds like they may work in my zone

 

[TreeDaddy]

Kieffer rules in east texas

They laugh at the heat, produce early , and thrive here

bill

 

[THE LLC]

I loved kieffer until the durn fire blight got in mine.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I had 5 Kieffers affected by fire blight last year shortly after blooming

blight kicked the s*** out of them but they survived and are putting on new growth

bill