Since this Saturday is Christmas, we thought we’d do some fun posts about some of the things associated with the holiday season. Today we are tackling partridges and pear trees, from The 12 Days of Christmas.
Let’s look at Pear Trees first
Facts About Pear Trees
When you are looking for a fruit tree that you can grow, a good choice to make is pear trees. They’re simple to grow and they aren’t very susceptible to common orchard illnesses and pests. If you pick the pears early, while they’re still green while on your tree, pears will keep a few months while being stored. Pear trees come in dwarf, semi-dwarf, and standard sizes, and they can be grown in gardens of any size.
Planting Pear Trees
Since they’re susceptible to wind damage, you want to stake them for their first 3-5 years.
Sizes of Pear Trees
- Dwarf – Rarely grow over 8’ high and you can grow them in containers.
- Standard – Can exceed 20’
Requirements for a Pear Tree
- Good drainage
- Full sun
- Soil pH of 5.5-6.5
- Zones 5 to 9
Fertilizing Pear Trees
You should fertilize your pear tree in the early spring, around two weeks before they flower. If you use a fertilizer with a lot of nitrogen, suckering will be encouraged.
Pruning Pear Trees
A pear tree is often pruned so that they resemble wine goblets. This means that the center branches are removed so that air circulation occurs.
Pear Tree Pollination
Most of the pear trees need another cultivar to produce fruit. There are varieties that don’t require this. However, the crops will be better if there’s another matching variety close by.
Cutting Pear Trees
Removed diseased, damaged or dead branches through the year, including during growing seasons. Their branches often will break during bad weather like snowstorms or windy days. You should clean your pruning tools after you’ve cut the branches. Avoid excessive damage and tearing by cutting right through the branches. Here are some more tips:
- Remove the sucker growth on your tree’s lower trunk to shape it.
- Remove growth that comes from its roots
- Reduce the competition between the inner growth by removing very large branches using your pruners.
- For the most part, a pear tree doesn’t need to be shaped and will maintain a nice, symmetrical curved shape. But if there are removed or damaged branches, you may need to do it.
- Remove any cuttings from that spot, particularly those that could be diseased.
8 Facts About the Grey Partridge
Now that we have covered the topic of pear trees, let’s look at some things about partridges.
- The research of the ecology of grey partridges began in the early part of the 1930s in the United Kingdom.
- Males are known as ‘cocks’ and females are known as ‘hens’.
- They pair up in February for breeding and they’ll breed during that first year. they will remain together in groups known as coveys.
- Eggs require an incubation period of 25 days. The biggest time for the eggs to hatch is around Ascot week, which is the 3rd week in June.
- The biggest clutch recorded as being laid by a grey partridge was 25. It happened in Sussex back in 1974.
- For 2 to 3 weeks after it hatches, the chick needs to be mostly made of invertebrates such as insects.
- The normal call sounds like ‘kerr-ik’. However, when the partridge is alarmed, the sound is ‘rik-rik-rik-rik’.
- Despite the famous song, they don’t perch in any kind of tree, even pear trees.
We hope that you enjoyed some fun facts about pear trees and partridges. If you need help pruning your pear trees or any other kinds of trees, feel free to contact us.
