Rick wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:09:22 -0500, Sherwin <sherwindu@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
> >bae@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
> >> In article <4881936C.C4C5D26F@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
> >> sherwindu <sherwindu@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >>> JS wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I have few asian pear trees on my backyard (Hosui and 20th
> >>>> century).According the information I found on the internet, the
harvest time
> >>>> for the fruits is mid-August,Does this mean they become totally
ripened at
> >>>> that time? or it is time to pick them up, and bring insidethe
house - to
> >>>> prevent insect damage ? I have noticed last year that insects
destroyed
> >>>> several fruits. Does this mean I picked them too latein the
season? Thanks in
> >>>> advance, JIMMY
> >>> Jimmy,
> >>>
> >>> Pears are a fruit that should be rippened off the tree. After they
start
> >>> to feel a bit soft at the stem, take them inside and let them ripen
off
> >>> the tree.
> >>
> >> Asian pears, unlike European pears, are crisp when ripe and don't
need
> >> to be ripened off the tree like European pears. They don't develop
the
> >> woody granular structures (sclerids) that European pears do, nor do
they
> >> develop the melting, buttery texture that has been standard in
European
> >> pears since the 18th century.
> >>
> >> The best way to figure out when your pears are ripe is to try fruit
at
> >> different stages and decide which you like best. Ripening dates are
an
> >> average for a particular region, and weather and microclimate can
make
> >> a substantial difference. Your backyard is probbly quite different
in
> >> microclimate from a commercial orchard.
> >>
> >> Another poster suggested that the damage was due to birds not
insects.
> >> You can get plastic bird netting at garden centres to drape over your
> >> trees if they aren't too large. In Japan, where people are willing
to
> >> pay amazing amounts for perfect, pesticide-free fruit, growers bag
each
> >> fruit individually to protect it from damage as it grows. The bags
are
> >> made of that light ****ous row cover material, or light cloth. This
may be
> >> practical for a few backyard trees. Don't use plastic bags, or
you'll
> >> cook the fruit!
> >>
> >> Enjoy your harvest!
> >>
> >I have had only limited experience with Asian Pears, my tree died after
> >a few years. You may be right about rippening them off the tree.
> >However, I disagree about putting plastic over them cooking them. I
put
> >ziplock bags on my European Pears and Apples with no problems. Maybe
> >the fact that I cut slits in the bottom to drain rain water alos vents
them.
> >
> > Sherwin
>
> I had heard about the waxed paper bags the Japanese use, but could not
> find them here. I think I'll try the zip lock bags. You just cut a
> small slit in the bag at the bottom?
Works great for me. Yes, you need the slit (I do one on each side of
the bag)
to let the rain water drain out. Put the bags on early, as soon as the
fruit is
easy to identify. I pick the largest and healthiest fruit in a cluster
and cut off
the others. This kind of thinning will produce large fruit and will
put less
stress on the tree.
Sherwin
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