Pear tree recommendations anyone?

Hello,

I am removing some mature conifers to make way for pears growing along a strong fence in my hot sunny bed. It is about 20 metres long, I am looking for around three feet between each tree and growing them as cordons.

I am hoping someone has some strong recommendations from experience.

I am particularly interested if anyone has experience of these dual trees I have read about, two types grafted onto one rootstock.

 

Well trees with two varieties grafted on will not be single cordons grown at that spacing. You would need at least a double cordon with each stem stem a seperate variety. As they would have been trained for a few years they will be expensive. People normally do that when they are very short of space. You have 20 metres ..how many pear varieties are you intending to have?
It would be cheapest to buy single maiden cordons. Cordons are so easy to train and prune and I cannot see any advantage in getting cordon trees that are older. I buy them bare rooted in winter.
As you are moving conifers the soil underneath will be impoverished. Pears quite like manure, I manure a very mature espalier Conference every year and it fruits extremely well.

 

Yes, the soil is in a shocking state and I intend on manuring it heavily before I plant them. As far as varieties, I haven't any real ideas tbh, as I am at the selecting stage I am open to suggestions Geoff. The soil will be getting improved during the season with the intention to plant bare roots late autumn.

 

Well you need to have the banker 'Conference'. i love Comice though i read that it requires a warm spot. Wonder how it will cope with wet and cold Bolton? And yes Bolton is wet and cold, i know the area very well. i just hope you are not in somewhere like Belmont cause if you are forget pears. Not far from where I live an orchard has free standing Comice that must fruit well cause it is part of a commercial enterprise.
I think you are going to have to get a catalogue from a top fruit specialist - they are usually pretty good. I would not bother with a garden centre or general nurseryman, you need a top fruit specialist for something as long term as this.

 

No, I am not in Belmont, maybe I have become used to it but it doesn't feel all that cold, but it definitely does rain well here. Thanks for your help Geoff, much appreciated.