In the spring of 2012, I attempted to graft a Pear scion onto my apple tree using Winter Banana Apple as an inter stem. (All of he grafting i do is "Whip and Tongue" grafts wrapped in grafting tape. I then coat the wrapped union with grafting wax) The parent branch was a Winesap Apple branch with a grafted Winter Banana Apple scion from a few years before. (I actually have two of these paired branches.) I then attempted to graft two "Kieffer" Pear scions onto my two Winter Banana Apple inter stems. The "Kieffer" Pear scions started to grow, but died a few weeks later. This spring (2014) I attempted to graft this Apple / Pear union again using the same Winter Banana Apple inter stems. I had just enough branch on my Winter Banana branches to try this experiment one more time. This time around, I used "Sunrise Pear" scionwood. The grafting was a screaming success! (I had enough "Sunrise Pear" scionwood to graft two branches onto my apple tree, and two more onto an ornamental pear. All four pear grafts were a success!) I have no idea why this experiment failed in 2012 and was a success in 2014. I do not know if it had to do with the pear variety used, or if it had to do with environmental circumstances. I will re-post in 2015 with an update. There are a few different treads on this subject so I will be re-posting on those threats also. Below are pictures taken on 07/27/2014.

In the spring of 2012, I attempted to graft a Pear scion onto my apple tree using Winter Banana Apple as an inter stem. (All of he grafting i do is "Whip and Tongue" grafts wrapped in grafting tape. I then coat the wrapped union with grafting wax) The parent branch was a Winesap Apple branch with a grafted Winter Banana Apple scion from a few years before. (I actually have two of these paired branches.) I then attempted to graft two "Kieffer" Pear scions onto my two Winter Banana Apple inter stems. The "Kieffer" Pear scions started to grow, but died a few weeks later. This spring (2014) I attempted to graft this Apple / Pear union again using the same Winter Banana Apple inter stems. I had just enough branch on my Winter Banana branches to try this experiment one more time. This time around, I used "Sunrise Pear" scionwood. The grafting was a screaming success! (I had enough "Sunrise Pear" scionwood to graft two branches onto my apple tree, and two more onto an ornamental pear. All four pear grafts were a success!) I have no idea why this experiment failed in 2012 and was a success in 2014. I do not know if it had to do with the pear variety used, or if it had to do with environmental circumstances. I will re-post in 2015 with an update. There are a few different treads on this subject so I will be re-posting on those threats also. Below are pictures taken on 07/27/2014.

The only issue with summer pruning is that it may slow overall tree growth over letting that limb feed the roots for the remainder of the growing season and cutting it off during dormancy. Most instructions for young, non-bearing trees is to prune primarily during dormancy- usually late winter-very early spring- and to train during the growing season by pinching. If the branch bothers you, you can remove it safely now. Asian pears flower and fruit quite young.

Brandon, It has been about 1 year since planting my first fruit trees in my backyard orchard. I am proud of my accomplishments, here are my insights. "1. Trees will be planted in East Tennessee (zone 6b technically, zone 7b realistically)." Virtually all Apples and Pears can grow good in zone 7. The most important thing is a least 8 hours summer direct sunlight for trees to overcome disease , insects and to bear fruit. "2. Trees will need to be no-spray or nearly no-spray varieties." Don answered this expertly, "The "low-spray" feature advertised on some apple varieties refers only to diseases..." "No apple is resistant to any insect pest. And there are a lot of those." "The only fruit tree I grow that requires no spraying is the Asian pear..." "3. Fruit needs to taste as good as possible." Check out a local farmstand/market, taste, ask questions. "4. Quality of fruit is much more important than quantity." I am growing a Flat Wonderful peach tree. The foliage is a specimen quality deep purple color and the tree is vigorous. I am told the spring blooms are a knockout, and the flat peaches taste extraordinary. My "no spray" Olympic asian pear has grown to 8 feet from 36" bareroot. The dark green leaves are 3 times the size of european pear leaves. The pears start in 3rd year are gourmet quality and store for 9 months. My Home Depot bought Shinseiki asian pears came with flowers and bore three nice pears each. Shinseikis can pollinate each other and the Olympic pear, this you will have to study up on. "5. Long shelf life would be great, but will not be a limiting factor." Fuji and Gala are the hits in the apple market. Even the supermarket ones taste great. Shelf life of a Fuji is up to one year. The asian pears can be eaten off the tree unlike the europeans, that have to be ripened. The Olympic pear has the longest life for the asians at nine months. "6. Trees that will produce over a long period of time are preferred over short lived/short production life trees." Standard pear trees can live to 100 years. Dwarf pears 35 years. Maybe 15 years for dwarf peaches, apples. Standard trees grow alot longer than dwarfs. Dwarfs bear fruit earlier. In some cases it can save a few years or more getting fruit on the table. Henry Fields has a sale till Thursday Oct. 4. The Olympic and a Flat Wonderful $20.22 each including shipping. I have ordered a 4 varieties grafted to 1 asian pear from Raintree Nursery to be delivered in March 2008. $67 each including $25 shipping. Grover