Frank:

Don't go to a lot of trouble. Even if your Seckel were able to initially set some fruit through your heroic measures, the fruit would drop unless the tree is a minimum of 5 years old, and maybe even older. More likely it wouldn't set fruit at all.

You don't say how old this tree is, but if it is in it's 2nd season or something around that number, you have at least a 3 year wait ahead of you before the Seckel actually sets and holds fruit, even it it is surrounded by pollinators. I have a very healthy Magness here that did not set and hold fruit until the 9th season, and that was only a few. Now its covered with blooms in its 11th season.

As Lucky used to say: "Plant pears for your heirs".

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Frank: My Seckel has been in the ground here for 4 years now and just reached petal fall on it's first 2 blossom clusters. The Moonglow and Bosc don't have any blooms yet due to immaturity so I borrowed a branch off of the one blooming asian pear tree in town as a pollenizer. I don't expect much from a 1st year bloom but hey, maybe it will keep the squirrels away from the peaches and apples.

Michael

The tree was put in the ground in April 2006, but i moved it a year later to a new spot... Its very short still...maybe 5 feet tops. I have at least 2 pears coming from Raintree and if i find a deal locally, i might add another...but until then i think i'll let it be...

My oldest peach tree *looks* to have a bumper crop, so i'm happy enough with that!

If you get some blossums from another tree, stick it in a plastic bottle with some water like a bouquet and tape it to the tree where the bees will have easy access.

There's a good chance that pollen from an ornamental pear tree will work, so if you can get a cluster of flowers from one of those, give it a try.

Alex

By the way, Seckel is early bearing for a pear, but Don's right that if the pear isn't at least 4 years old there's probably not much point in worrying about pollinators. Seckel is relatively self-fruitful anyway.

If you have a Costco nearby you might check for flowering trees. The Costco near me had pears and apples that were brought into bloom because of being brought inside. They were on sale for less than $10.00.

I've heard about the Seckel being self fruitful, but the info seems iffy at best. I don't have a Costco (it sucks, i want one!) I've thought about the ornamental pears, and i bet there are some nearby. Those things are pretty common these days. I'll see what i can find. Thanks for the suggestions. Even a few pears would be nice.

I should have mentioned that my Seckel set fruit for the first time last season. Several weeks after it flowered, one more cluster of flowers appeared. This was well after the ornamentals were done blooming. That cluster set one fruit, but it only grew to about the size of a ping ping ball, and the seeds inside were thin undeveloped things.

Alex

Frank,
Hang in there with the Seckel. My two are 12 years old and set it's first fruit last year. This year they look to be covered in blossom buds. I would not buy an ornamental pear for pollination but opt for one of the oriental types that blossoms quite nicely the year after planting! Good to hear your peaches have done well. The buds on mine are just beginning to swell so I cannot tell how they have wintered quite yet. The hybrid plums continue to look great.
With lots of fruit you can trade for some nice healthy venison.
Bberry