On 22/04/2015 12:41, Broadback wrote:
On 21/04/2015 19:33, David Hill wrote:
On 21/04/2015 18:25, Bob Hobden wrote:
"AL_n" wrote

I've often read that one needs to plant more than one apple tree in
one's
garden to maximise fertilisation. I presume the same thing apply to
pear
trees, yes?

If so, should each of the two pear trees be of differing stains or the
same
strain?

Can pollen from an apple tree pollenate a pear tree and vice versa?

(I already have two apple trees and would like to plant a single par
tree,
ideally. I don't know of any other pear trees in the immediate
vicinity.


This is from the Ken Muir site......

Pear varieties are separated into pollination groups according to when
they flower, starting with the earliest flowering varieties as group A,
group B a little later and so on. Varieties within the same pollination
group will usually cross pollinate one another because they flower at
the same time. Varieties in adjacent pollination groups will also serve
as pollinators for one another because in most seasons there is
sufficient overlap of pollen resulting from an overlap in the flowering
period.

So you need to find out which group your tree is and then get another
different variety in the same group. Same thing applies to apples.


You might find these of use.

http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/garde...ion-pear-trees


https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/a...linationgroups

David @ a still sunny side of Swansea bay

It is also worth noting that unless you are in a particularly sparsely
populated area in all probability unless you have particularly rare
varieties there will be trees near enough to be used by the insects that
are using yours.

So far only diploid (needing two pollinators) apples/pears have been
discussed. It is also worth mentioning that Bramley apple trees are
triploid, meaning that they need three trees for pollination. Bramley
is a fairly well known case, but there may be others.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay