This is the first time this variety has produced fruit, and it has come as a bit of a disappointment. I picked the three fruit, one of which was very large, the size of a Swan's egg, as soon as there was the slightest hint of yellow on one. I left them for 2 days in store, then notice that one had virtually liquefied in that time. We ate the other, which was nothing to write home about. Hopefully I've caught the last one in time, but I can't say I'm impressed. Comice is a similar size, and a much better flavour for both cooking and desert. I grafted 2 maidens originally, both have been very weak growing, susceptible to canker (one succumbed), so it doesn't score well on any count (plus it's a triploid, so not a good choice if you only have one other pear variety for pollination). The tree is only about 4 feet high, so I think I will 'top' it with a more vigorous variety, that might benefit from a weaker-growing interscion.
Showing posts with label pitmaston Duchess. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pitmaston Duchess. Show all posts
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Pitmaston Duchess
This is the first time this variety has produced fruit, and it has come as a bit of a disappointment. I picked the three fruit, one of which was very large, the size of a Swan's egg, as soon as there was the slightest hint of yellow on one. I left them for 2 days in store, then notice that one had virtually liquefied in that time. We ate the other, which was nothing to write home about. Hopefully I've caught the last one in time, but I can't say I'm impressed. Comice is a similar size, and a much better flavour for both cooking and desert. I grafted 2 maidens originally, both have been very weak growing, susceptible to canker (one succumbed), so it doesn't score well on any count (plus it's a triploid, so not a good choice if you only have one other pear variety for pollination). The tree is only about 4 feet high, so I think I will 'top' it with a more vigorous variety, that might benefit from a weaker-growing interscion.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Blossom - Pitmaston Duchess
This is the first year I've had any decent amount of blossom on either of my Pitmaston Duchess trials, let alone any fruit. This one is growing as half of an arch, and as yet is quite short but I hope a couple of fruits might set for evaluation. It's a triploid variety, needing two pollinators, but this should not be a problem given the number of other pear varieties in the front, plus the blossom season has been so compressed by the late arrival of Spring that there appears to be more overlap between varieties than in other years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
