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.

Wow that’s a lot of questions. I see where you all coming from and great points. Keep in mind I just started planting things so if I come off not knowing what I’m doing please don’t get offended. I know some people have great passions with plants and stuff I don’t want to offend anyone with my lack of knowledge or not having time to care or maintain it as much as one would like. I appreciate all your comments and expertise. Murky .Are the trees planted in the same soil as the rest of the yard?--Yes. What kind of soil is it?--Mostly clay. If you dig a hole in the soil and fill it with water does the water drain?--Yes. How do you determine when and how much to water them?--In the Texas summer I water them 2 times a week, once a week in spring, once every 2 weeks in fall and once a month in the winter. Are there other trees in the same conditions that are doing well? What kind?--No If those questions don't uncover anything I would think about how much sun they are getting ��" 6 hours. how they were planted (were they bare root or potted, what time of year, were the potted ones rootbound and if so what did you do at planting etc.) ��" They were all from potted, I planted them as they would be in a pot meaning a little above ground level with a little of the soil in the pot mixed in with the clay. Planted in spring about 3 years ago. Not sure if I understand what rootbound means but I did loosen up the roots as much as I can without hurting it before I planted. Other questions that come to mind are have you done a soil test? No Is somebody driving heavy equipment over the root zone?--No Do the leaves look healthy throughout the growing season?--Yes Have the trees been damaged?--No Have you observed pests or diseases taking a toll on them?--Not much Pest, if there’s any I would spray them with vinegar mixed with water (don’t ask why ��" wifey’s idea) . Were they allowed to fruit heavily very young?--I’m not sure how old the trees was when I bought it, but yes I did let the fruits grow. Also, my wife is into organic stuff so i don’t use chem fertilizer on the trees. I should have use organic fertilizer but I didn't put any. By the way, I think something is confused in the telling or in my reading with regard to the Asian pear/Fuji Apple. That sounds like two different trees. Did the tree have 2 tags - one of each? When it had fruit was it an apple or a pear? I don't know of an Asian pear named Fuji, and for all intents and purposes you cannot have the two on the same tree (while maybe technically possible you will never find such a tree for sale). ��"-there was one tag and it says Asian pear/Fuji apple. I asked the worker what it means by Asian pear/Fuji Apple, she said it was mixed between the two. When it fruited it kind of looks/tasted like an Asian pear, it’s hard to say because the fruit was too small. bhawkins Do the trees get any extra water during the year? I don’t know how to answer this question. How many hours of sun a day do they get?--6hours Did you plant with amendmends, like peat moss?--With some of the soil from the pot mixed in with clay. What's your soil like? Crumbly, or clay, or white rocks?-- clay, top 2 feet is sand mixed in with clay. Do you use mulch? Yes, but the grass has taken over and I left it since. I have a new born so I don't get to go online much so I would like to apologize in advanced for the delays on my replies.

There are other scab resistant varieties- at least for my area in SE NY. Harrow Sweet (and Delight, as mentioned), Bartlett, Dutchess, Delicious and Magness seem pretty resistant. Bosc and Seckel, amongst others, are quite susceptible. I have found pear scab more difficult to control than apple scab and Captan and myclobutanil are not affective against it. Mancozeb is probably the best synthetic to use for it that's available to the home grower. Goddam UC Davis has swallowed the organic cool-aid. They no longer seem to provide well rounded information for home growers- whose decision is that? If synthetic pesticides are legal to use in CA it is their responsibility to supply information on their safe and affective use. If it was my trees I'd cut them down and plant more resistant varieties, though. Pears should not be so much work.

tell 'em how you really feel brandon.. lol ... is this ornamental [see brandons comments] ... or a fruit tree ... if a fruit tree .. there is a fruit forum.. and there are .. or used to be.. some specialists over there ... that i have never seen here ... otherwise i care not where you post.. good luck ken PS: we tree peeps do not like the ornamental pear ... see brandons comments .. over-hyped.. over-used.. under-performer ... it is definitely NOT a tree i would shorten my life for.. by using chemicals .... but i would shorten my life by powering up the chainsaw ... PPS: in my z5.. that also looks like frost/freeze damage.. which i would guess you dont get in z8 .. unless there are some facts to support such speculation ...