My Wild Pear Tree

This is a story of survival about a wild pear tree growing on our property. This past Spring it appeared the late frost had killed the blooms but this week, Bill told me he noticed pears when he was mowing under the tree. Scooter wanted to investigate.  

Scooter hot, tired, exhausted and dragging me back to the house after our exciting adventure.

This is the tree. It is growing in the area between our driveway on the right and our neighbor's driveway on the left.

This is the side facing our driveway.  We assumed the tree was bare because we could not see any pears as we passed it in the car, so we ignored it.

We also did not expect any fruit because last year the tree was hit with a blight.  All of the pears were covered in a nasty mold and seemed to petrify on the branches. These are last year's pears still hanging on the tree.  I suppose I should have pulled the rotten ones off or sprayed, but my solution was to ignore everything.

The tree is in a horrible place, is split at the bottom, is growing against the trunk and is in the shade of a large cedar tree.  It appears, years ago, something dropped the pear seed on the ground where it sprouted and survived. We have discussed cutting the cedar tree down and letting the pear tree grow, but it would fall on our neighbor's property.  Both trees are only a few feet away from the boundary.  It would be a big job which we would need to do quickly to keep from blocking their driveway.  Our solution has been to ignore it. 

The split pear tree covered in poison ivy is on the right and the cedar tree trunk is on the left.

It has a strange shape with one branch growing parallel to the ground.  Bill complains because he has to dodge it when he mows.  I won't let him cut it because these are the only pears I can easily harvest. We should prune it in the winter so it will produce better, but our solution has been to ignore it.

The neighbor's drive is to the left, mine is to the right and Scooter is in the shade of the tree.

Looking toward my neighbor's drive.

These are the pears which are growing on the other side of the tree.  They are not good for eating fresh since they are hard.  They won't ripen until September or October and then I will dehydrate some and use the rest to make the world's best pear butter.  Reese once identified it as a Chinese variety when he was in college studying for an agriculture class in fruit production.  The name has been forgotten, also ignored.

My neighbor's side of the tree.  It might even be hanging over the property line.

This is a fruit tree which is never pruned, fertilized, watered, sprayed or attended in any way.  It is completely wild and yet some years will produce an abundance of fruit.  It has earned the privilege of being chosen by me to receive the honor of being featured in  August's Wildflower Wednesday link up party.

CORRECTION:

8/25/2017  I would like to issue a correction to the information above but first I must share some exciting news:  Reese read my blog without being nagged by me!  I am so thrilled!  He sent me information about my pear tree from Wikipedia and I will share it below:

Pyrus pyrifolia is a pear tree native to East Asia...where the tree's flowers are a popular symbol of early spring.  The fruits are not generally baked into pies or made into jams because they have a high water content and a crisp, grainy texture very different from the European varieties. (I disagree.  We don't care for pear pies, and the grainy texture does not bother us in pear butter. The early flowers explain why they often get hurt by the late frosts.)

They are commonly served raw and peeled. (Not us, we consider them too hard to eat fresh.)

Due to their relatively high price and the large size of the fruit cultivars, the pears tend to be served to guests, given as gifts, or eaten together in a family setting.  (YIKES! I didn't realize they were expensive or something special.  I just thought it was a strange pear tree.)

Now that I know the error of my ways due to being corrected by Reese, the next time he is home I will:  call all the family together, invite some guests and present the pears to everyone as gifts. 

Thank you, Reese, for helping create a new family tradition.  Oh, by the way, we will need to borrow your truck so we can pick the pears.  Also, it would be nice if you offered to climb up the ladder while it is sitting in the back of your truck bed and pick the pears in the top of the tree for us since we are so old. You can take all you want back with you as gifts.

Love and miss you, 

Mom and Dad

In Search of the Elusive Perfect Zinnia, Mt. Pleasant, TN

While traveling this week, Bill and I decided on impulse to turn and go another way to see where the road would lead us.  We were ready for a new adventure.  We passed a sign which pointed to "Mount Pleasant, Tennessee" and together decided we needed some pleasantries, so we followed the sign.  As we toured the small town of Mount Pleasant, I suddenly saw IT!  BEAUTIFUL PERFECT ZINNIAS!  They were nothing like the spindly ones in the shady area of my garden but were bright, bold, big healthy flowers.  I gasped, which caused Bill to slam on the brakes (my intention) and I began to ogle and drool.  In my last post Today's Blooms, I was bemoaning the fact that some of my zinnias were diseased and covered with leaf spot.  The zinnias in front of my eyes were nothing like those I was growing back home.

As he circled the block for the third time, Bill suggested, "It's a business and they are open, why don't you go inside?"

Why hadn't I thought of that?

Breckenridge House was built in 1815.  It served as the home and business of David Breckenridge, a hatter, who made military and dress hats.  It now stands as a museum and antique shop.

As I slowly strolled through the sunny, front flower beds, I was amazed by the stunning, healthy flowers.

Inside I was welcomed by a friendly saleswoman and so I asked, "The zinnias in your front flower beds are huge. What variety are they and how do you keep them disease free?"

She shook her head and replied, "I am sorry, I don't know.  We have a gardener and he is responsible for the landscaping."

I must have appeared disappointed and broken-hearted so she quickly replied, "You are welcome to tour the back garden, take all the pictures you want."

To my surprise, she performed the most hospitable act ever, she offered me a plastic bag so I could collect seeds from any flowers I liked!

You know what I did...of course, I toured the gardens, it would be rude not to since she offered.  Plus, I was in search of the reason why my zinnias are struggling and theirs were so magnificent. Besides this was a perfect opportunity that had fallen into my lap to look at more flowers, so, why not? Any flower I see is a flower to enjoy.

The back garden was just as perfect as the front garden.  Slowly, as I contemplated my problem, the answer began to become clear why my zinnias are not as lush.  I know what I am doing wrong.  I DON'T HAVE A GARDENER!  I NEED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO WAIT ON ME HAND AND FOOT!  Yep, I need a gardener, a full-time landscaper since we also have a vegetable garden.  Oh, and maybe on rainy days when he could not work outside, he could be my chauffeur, or maybe a butler doubling as a maid and clean the house, do laundry, wash dishes, and what about washing windows...???  This idea was getting better and better.  I suddenly realized I needed help, every kind of help possible...wait, is there nothing in my life under control???  Probably not.  

This required a few days of deep thought and then it hit me, it would be simpler, wiser and cheaper to plant my zinnias in full sun next year and avoid all the problems.  A gardener would be easier, but when have I ever done what is easiest?

Lastly, I must include a picture of Scooter so his fans won't complain. 

I am hiding behind a chair in the kitchen watching for dropped morsels.

UPDATE:  It took two years but I was finally able to grow zinnias.

Today's Blooms, August 15, 2019

Today's Blooms, August 15, 2017

Morning Glory at sunrise

Today I am linking up with Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day to celebrate with gardeners around the world and will share the blooms in my zone 6b/7a southern middle Tennessee, USA, garden.

A daylily rebloomed!!!

Mexican Sunflower

Sesame seed

A sunflower planted by a bird.

Each year I grow zinnias and when the hot, sultry miserable dog days of summer arrive, some will be covered with powdery mildew and leaf spot, others will be fine.   I find this a mystery.

I would like to give a better understanding of this situation.  Below is the path from the driveway to my flower garden.  When we bought this house years ago, I started planting in the far back corner by the field fence and began moving forward.  Every year I dig up a little bit more.  The area to the right did not get planted this Spring so I decided to save it and use it as my Winter vegetable garden.  I will start planting it this week if the weather allows.

Last year I scattered a few zinnias around to add color to the perennials and this year volunteers appeared all over the area; I let them grow.  The few volunteers on the right side of the path are doing great; however, the ones on the left side are having problems.  I am showing the path to make it clear how close the beds are from each other.

These are the zinnias on the right side of the path where everything is doing fine.

This is the area on the left side of the path where most of the plants are covered in leaf spots and powdery mildew. 

Leaf spot and powdery mildew are both caused by warm, humid weather, overhead watering, shade, and crowding.   I have found spraying a mixture of 32 oz water, 1 teaspoon Joy dishwashing liquid and 1 teaspoon of baking soda will slow the diseases. It won't cure them but will slow them down.

I have gone crazy trying to understand why some plants are fine and why others only a few feet away are suffering.  It is the same soil, weather, seeds, and location.

This week I finally realized the difference. I arose at sunrise to work in the garden (it is too hot to work later in the day) and realized as the sun rises, it hits the healthy plants about two hours earlier. Due to the tree line to the east of the flower bed, the healthy plants on the right side of the path dry earlier whilst the others remain covered in dew longer.  To me, it was amazing that only two hours of sunlight could make such a difference. Mystery solved; however, I am still seeking answers to cure these diseases and would love advice. 

Now is the time of year we call the dog days of summer, between July and the middle of September when the oppressively hot, sultry weather (Northern Hemisphere, southern middle Tennessee, USA, zone 6b/7a) causes a feeling of laziness.  So to celebrate this miserable time of the year, I asked Scooter, our local canine celebrity to pose for a picture in front of my one and only zinnia plant in the vegetable garden.

Scooter said, "This is an ugly plant.  Why do you want me to pose with it?" 

"It is not ugly but perfect because it is in full sun all day long (no diseases) and I want to show it off.  Also, you are the honorable, chosen poster child who will represent the dog days of summer."  I cajoled. 

"But Mom, it is too hot and oppressive out here in this bright sunlight.  I can't keep my eyes open...so sleepy...must lay down...."

"Scooter, SCOOTER! I will give you a  hot dog if you can stay awake for one second." I bribed.

"Deal." said Scooter.

Why is Bucky in My Flowers?

"BUCKY! BUCKY!" I yelled as loud as I could.  "I see you eating my flowers!"

"Huh?" Mumbled a startled Bucky.  "Did someone call my name?"

"Oh, it's you, the lady who lives in the house." Bucky replied.

"Does your Mom know you have sneaked over the fence and are eating my flowers?  She is busy with your newborn little brother Rudolph and has not been able to keep an eye on you or your twin brother.  I realize you have gown a wonderful new 7 point rack since I caught you in my vegetable garden back in June and you want to show it off, but you should obey your Mom.  Do I need to call her and tell her how you been acting?" I threatened. 

"Uh, oh."  He paused and thought for a moment then said, "If you don't say anything, I promise to behave." 

I nodded and watched as he effortlessly leaped over my fence.

"Shhhh." Whispered Bucky to his brother.  "The lady from the house is looking at us.  Don't tell Mom what I said."  

"Don't tell me what?" Asked Mama Doe

"Oh, nothing."  Said Bucky.  "Nothing at all."

A Birth Announcement

A few weeks ago I shared about the irritating expectant mother who has caused so many problems.  Early one morning this past week I peeped into the nest which she inconsiderately built in my garden shed and noticed a bleary eye surrounded by fuzzy down looking back at me.  No one moved and I quietly slipped away.

A few days later I checked again, this time two angry beady eyes glared back at me.  He/She did not like me or the camera and slid down deeper into the nest.  He would not come out to pose for my photo-op and avoided me every time I returned.  He is going to be irritating just like his mother.

As I continued to try to get pictures, they would quickly disappear into the nest.  I knew it was just a matter of time before the home would be outgrown because Mom was feeding them every worm she could find.

Tonight it happened, I caught all four of them getting some fresh air before the sun went down.  The one second from the left who is still glaring at the camera and is spread out taking up most of the room, he is going to be a problem.

The story of her arrival

An Irritating Expectant Mother  

Additional mischievous escapades

The Irritating Expectant Mother Returns to Bother Me Again!

An Irritating Expectant Mother and Her Family