Pear Tree Pollination

 Last year I bought an espalier Williams pear tree.  It grows in my small London courtyard garden in a pot, but really needs a pollination partner to properly set fruit.  So a couple of weeks ago I took it for a little pollination holiday to my Sister's allotment where she has a Conference pear tree.  They were in flower at the same time so it looks like a good match.  

 You can cross pollinate with another variety in the same, or adjoining, pollination groups.  Basically, as long as the trees are in flower at the same time, it can cross pollinate.  So my Williams pear is a B group pollinator, and is in flower at the same time with this Conference which is an A group.  Confused?  This handy guide explains it better.

 So it looks as if I have a fairly good fruit set now, so my little tree was carefully brought back home yesterday.  Williams is partially self-fertile but as long as there is another compatible pear tree within a few gardens, the bees will do the hard work.

 Now safely back home and settled down in the garden again.

Watch out for night time frosts!  We might be having warm days at the moment, and my tomato plants are really doing well - but I think I will bring them inside tonight just to be sure.