Hi Dan, I just tasted my first 20th Century fruit today and it was just outstanding . . . juicy, sweet, great texture. And the Hosui I have been harvesting the past 2 weeks have been really nice. I don't know why I don't see more neighbors in my area with Asian pears! Both trees are semi-dwarf, and the main branch was cut off about 3-4 inches below a 6 foot wrought iron fence, with the lateral branches tied horizontally. Both trees were planted in late September 2011, and both have been very fruitful this summer, only 1 1/2 years later. No disease, no fruit cracking, and knock on wood no fireblight!

Looks like I'm reviving a nearly year old thread here... I just bought from The Home Depot, on a whim actually, two Asian Pear rootstocks. One is a 20th century and the other is a Shinseki. They are about 3 - 4' tall, and around 1/2- 3/4" diameter. For 15 bucks each, and recently married to a Taiwanese gal who loves these (ane me too now!), I figured, what the heck! I live in a canyon just south of San Jose, CA, and have a decent amount of land... I have a few questions for which I seek assistance: 1. With the previous talk about types of rootstock, how does one know? The two that I have are still bagged waiting for next weekend's hole digging, and I don't see anywhere on the label or paperwork that states such informaiton. I'd like to know... 2. After I plant them next weekend, should I not prune them at all until next Spring (1 year)? I thought I read that somewhere, but I'm not sure. Long soaks after planting, but to refrain from any snipping until a year... 3. These are sold as semi-dwarfs, and I'm not sure what that means and if that is desirable, for me at least. I read that that these can get up to 20 - 40' tall, but everything I find on the web makes no mention of dwarf or semi-dwarf. If this means smaller yields, well, I don't mind returning these for a refund. I have room for larger trees... and have long ladders, if need be. After doing some reading, it appears that the Shinko is for the most part immunce to fire blight; which does make it somewhat appealing in that regard. Maybe I was to rash in pulling-the-trigger on these two guys... I appreciate any help you can provide this novice! Thank you.

The Hoisu should pollinate Shinko too. Fire bight bacteria have almost no chance of carrying over in the soil I would think. Raintree or One Green World is advertising another Asian pear with some claimed resistance to FB (as Shinko is also claimed to have). The Alabama extension service says don't even try to grow Asian pears in that part of the south without spraying for FB, with streptomycin or copper.

I grow both Shinko and Korean Giant. Taste-wise, they are at the opposite ends. KG tastes great, juicy, sweet and crunchy (just what I like). My shinko is bland, very bland. KG produces profusely. I thinned at least 600 fruitlets off last year. Not so long ago, there was a tread in this forum about taste of Asian pears, It appears those who get good tasting Shinko live further inland. The East Coast people don't seem to have good luck with it re. taste. I don't get fire blight (so far) on either one. Both have little to none of pear blister mites problem, either. I am partial, I would plant KG and graft Shinko and other fire blight resistant variety to it. In my orchard, I've grafted KG and 20th Century onto Shinko. (first year trial, don't know if it would work yet). This is the only way that I can justify keeping Shinko!!!