Bosc Pear Needs Bartlett Tree as Pollenizer

Q. I planted a Bosc pear tree seven years ago not realizing it required a second pollenizer pear tree.  For several years I did get a few pears even though the tree had lots of flowers. I think my neighbor’ s pear tree was the pollenizer, but it seems to be failing. I have no room to plant a pollenizer pear tree. Not sure what to do.  

A. I have grown Bosc, Anjou and Bartlett here in the Mojave Desert in the past and noticed, the same as you, the fruit set wasn't great in the Bosc and Anjou compared to the Bartlett. It is possible it might be a humidity problem, like our problems with sweet cherry and Hachiya persimmon growing and setting fruit in our climate.

Bosc pear producing immature fruit in the Las Vegas valley

            Bartlett and Red Bartlett seem to set fruit better in the desert, compared to Bosc and Anjou when there is plenty of flowers and honeybee activity. Keep that in the back of your mind.

Bartlett pears produced in the Las Vegas valley.

            Since Bosc needs a pollenizer tree, you will have problems producing  fruit if there is no other European Pear flowering at that time. It might be possible to buy a Bartlett and plant it on the south side of that tree, 18 inches away, and prune out some limbs to make room for it. In other words, integrate another pear that flowers at the same time and see if that helps with the fruit set of your Bosc pear. Bartlett is a good pollenizer for Bosc.

Sensation Red Bartlett producing fruit in the Las Vegas valley.

            Make sure you have rosemary or other winter blooming herbs to attract honeybees to the backyard that time of year. Anything that blooms during the spring months and attracts bees will work. Because pear blooms a little bit later than some other fruit trees, you might also consider attracting leaf cutter bees as pollinators to your yard.

Comice pear fruit in the Las Vegas valley.

            Try putting a small birdbath or shallow water source and that will attract honeybees as well. When it’s warm, honeybees Hall water back to their colony. Put rocks in the birdbath so that honeybees have a place to land and retrieve water.

Nesting blocks for leafcutter bees

            If you can synchronize the blooming of these two pear trees, and you still don't get fruit set on the Bosc pear, you can assume it's a humidity issue. If it still doesn’t set fruit, get rid of the Bosc and at least you can have a Bartlett. I would look closely at Red Bartlett if you want the red color but both Bartlett varieties work here.