Pear Harvest



We have two old pear trees that were here when we bought the place. One a William variety I think and the other a Beurre Bosc. The second year we were here there was a massive crop. However they were all infested with coddling moth. The next year a smaller crop and I tried various things to defeat the coddling moth to no avail. Earlier this year an old local gardener published a remedy for coddling moth in the Eugowra news. Quite simply it involves mixing treacle or molasses with wine and putting this mixture in traps made of old soft drink bottles in the trees when they are flwoering. I did this and later on put fruit fly excluding bags on the fruit as we only had a very small crop due to the drought.
Two weeks ago I picked three dozen perfect William pears with no coddling moth!
They tasted terrific. Lets hope for a bigger crop next year.

Comments

Chartreuse said…
I've been reading about your garden progress with great delight. Your experiences remind me of the very first garden I ever planted, in the Tasmanian midlands more than 30 years ago. I moved to Queesland 10 years later, but still often wonder if my successors there kept up the garden, which had the best fruit and vegetables I have ever grown, thanks to bottomless topsoil and a large river providing year-round water. Keep up the good work.
April 9, 2010 at 12:03 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An abundance of eggs

Image
Silkie eggs Duck eggs Turkey eggs Hen eggs With five silkie hens, seven regular hens of mixed breed, four ducks of indeterminate sex and ten turkey hens we generally have an abundance of eggs. Despite the fact that several of the turkeys and hens are not laying, as they are broody the, there seem to be more than ever. Certainly more than two people can eat. Peter generally takes them to work and either sells them or gives them away. The turkey ones have not been that popular though. Today he said someone asked him for more turkey eggs as they had made an omelet with them and it was the best they have ever made. I find they rise up really well in omelets and Frittatas. I plan a big cooking evening sometime this week to turn the eggs into little herb quiches to put in the freezer for over the holidays when we will have a house full.
Read more

On my mind

Image
Puppy proofing my garden so the adorable Elle does not do too much damage! This is the result of my leaving a pot plant at ground level on the back porch. She is having a rest after her gardening!
Read more

Fried Zucchini Flower Recipe

Image
I was feeling quite overwhelmed by this monster of a garden on Saturday. I have been away three days a week for the last few weeks and things are quite out of control again. The tomatoes are in urgent need of attention as are the pumpkins. Zucchini vines and pumpkins are covered in mildew and my giant pumpkin has dissolved into a rotting mess. Not to mention the lawns need mowing, the edges need trimming, the cat heads are flourishing. I had hoped for a tidy, orderly garden by the time Katie and Jemima arrived but it is not to be. At least it is a productive mess. I was considerably cheered up by the very first decent eggplants I have ever grown. Aren't they just beautiful. I don't know why they have failed to fruit in the past but this variety in particular is doing very well this year. The eggplants inspired me to make a sort of tasting plate for our dinner fresh from the garden. The beans have come good again so there were: beans with olive oil, garlic and preserved lemon
Read more