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joellenh_gw

Once again, my garden hopes and dreams are crushed. Literally.

joellenh
10 years ago

Something blew through here last night. Not sure what it was. It demolished the kids large play set (which was staked to the ground with huge spikes and chains, and has been there for five years). I just stained it last year, and it was still in perfect condition. My trellises are damaged. Several parts of my fence are damaged. We found one of our heavy metal lawn chairs half a mile away. Our Weber Genesis grill is in bits. Our attic is leaking. But the very worst part? A 50' tree was UPROOTED and blew over into my mini-orchard area. My little trees (apples, asian pears, nectarines, plums, figs) are buried under it. And most of them were LOADED this year, for the first time since I planted them 4-5 years ago. Everything I love and cherish and tend carefully over the years always turns to crap. Called the insurance company, and they will cover the roof and the play set and the fence. Unsure about the grill. But they will not cover tree removal, since it hit no structures. :(

Jo

Comments (64)

  • soonergrandmom
    10 years ago

    So sorry Jo! It looks really bad, but I'm glad your family is safe.

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Jo, Wow! The size of that tree sure makes it clear y'all had a mighty powerful wind come through.

    I noticed your cute blue fence survived just fine. I was wondering if the wind had carried it off.

    I am just relieved the tree didn't fall on the house while y'all were in it.

    The yard still looks really good even with all the destruction, and it will look great again in no time. When that tree is removed I still think you may find the fruit trees relatively unscathed underneath it.

    Dawn

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Jo, Wow! The size of that tree sure makes it clear y'all had a mighty powerful wind come through.

    I noticed your cute blue fence survived just fine. I was wondering if the wind had carried it off.

    I am just relieved the tree didn't fall on the house while y'all were in it.

    The yard still looks really good even with all the destruction, and it will look great again in no time. When that tree is removed I still think you may find the fruit trees relatively unscathed underneath it.

    Dawn

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Jo, I am so sorry for the damage you are dealing with. It's hard when you feel like you are being beaten down. Hoping things are better than they appeared earlier today.

    On this end of town, 131st and Garnett area, between Broken Arrow and Bixby, our neighborhood sustained some wind damage. Two trees were destroyed. Our neighborhood was hit by one of the tornadoes earlier in May, when trees, roofs, windows, dormers, etc were damaged. The last of the roofs was replaced Friday. The house across 131st in the neighborhood north of us that lost the second story still hasn't been repaired. I know that family is not living there, as it is unliveable. I hope insurance is covering their losses. Acts of nature can be cruel. This year takes the prize.

    Sandy

  • wulfletons
    10 years ago

    I am so sorry. Even though I know you are thankful that no one was hurt , that is still a lot of damage and you have every right to be sad and frustrated and angry. I agree with dawn that maybe some of the fruit trees will be okay. Once you get the playset and the tree removed, I am hoping things will not look so bad.
    Krista

  • borderokie
    10 years ago

    I read your story this morning and have prayed for words of encouragement for you today. I hesitate to respond because you can not hear the sympathy in my voice or see the compassion in my face. I know you have hopes for your fruit that you have poured youself into. And since I am new to the site I do not know all you have lost before. But in telling you these things I am hoping to uplift your spirits and help you to see things from a different perspective. I lost a grandmother in 3rd grade (she was in her early 50s)from leukemia. My brother when I was 18 (he was 12) with a brain tumor. My mother when i was 33 (she was in her early 50s) from a horse riding accident. And then after much prayer to never go through such a thing again my daughter was diagnosed with cancer as she graduated high school. It was a very rough year. I could see all my hard work and labor slipping away. I might never get to see her get married, have a baby and horrors you even think every once in a while about picking out caskets and planning funerals. I was very blessed. God chose to heal her. We planned a wedding instead of a funeral and we now have a grandbaby that is 8 months old that is the light of my life. I assume there are children that play set was for. And if so I know you had hopes to preserve and share the fruit from your trees with them .Those hopes can be rebuilt, Those battles can be won. But those babies and family can never ever be replaced with anything that is available here on earth. Even after all we have faced every once in a while I lose perspective of that too. You have the strength in you to face much worse. I know I have been there. I hope your spirits improve as you see your blessings, God Bless you. (The favorite saying around our house is "It aint cancer") lol ..... I just wanted to post a picture for you of the most important plant in my garden. Sheila

  • shankins123
    10 years ago

    Sheila,

    What a beautiful perspective for us this morning!
    Thank you for sharing the picture of your sweet little "grandflower" :-)

    Sharon

  • tulsacowboy
    10 years ago

    Jo,

    Dawn and I were sitting on the couch last night and as I had just finished reading your post, Fox news showed the footage they took of your area. We are so sorry for your loss, please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

    Chris

  • MiaOKC
    10 years ago

    Jo, I am so sorry! If you need any seeds to replant anything in your garden, let me know and I'll put a packet in the mail.

    Please keep us posted as you uncover your mini-orchard. Have my fingers crossed for you.

  • Macmex
    10 years ago

    Will be praying for you Jo. Hopefully most of your orchard survived under that tree. A couple years ago I purposefully felled a large tree, that was threatening our home. I felled it purposefully, but didn't fell it where I purposed for it to go. It landed on two of my little fruit trees. I was horrified. But when we cleared everything away we discovered that they had sustained only minor damage, as the main trunk of the tree missed them.

    BTW, I started some tomato seeds this morning, for a fall crop.

    George
    Tahlequah, OK

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    I am so sorry for the destruction in your yard. It seems like there are so many sad stories on the news this year. I do like your nice big fenced yard and the chain link fence with wood. I hope that you are able to salvage some of your fruit trees under the big tree.

  • joellenh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you Sheila for your very thoughtful post. Believe me, I do count our blessings daily. I have a friend who lost her young son to cancer. Anther friend who lost her young DH to a brain tumor (leaving behind two small children). Two friends who just found out their husbands are cheating, and left them. A good friend of mine right here on GW just had her house robbed. :(

    I know that in the grand scheme of things we are very blessed, but as Krista said, that doesn't take away my right to be sad and frustrated.

    As far as starting over, it will be a very long time before we can afford to do so. The new house has stretched our budget to the absolute breaking point. Our insurance deductible is $2,000. Some of the damage is not covered. The tree removal and disposal and crushed fruit trees aren't covered, as the tree didn't hit any structures.

    It's just very difficult to care for and baby something for five years, and then have it smashed to bits. Sure I can eventually replace the fruit trees. And then wait five more years for them to mature and bear fruit again.It's just very, very frustrating after all the love and care I poured into everything for so many years.

    Now, I do wake up every day and count my blessings. When my son Adam was one, my husband Dave was diagnosed with kidney cancer. It was caught very early, and he had the kidney removed. If it had spread, he would have died. Chemo and radiation are not effective against kidney cancer. So I wake up every day, hug him, tell him how much I love him. My children are bright and healthy. I know all this, and I know I am blessed.

    But I am still hurt and upset. I used to sit out in my backyard and look around, so proud of how pretty everything was, so proud of all the work we had done. Now I look out and just want to cry.

    Jo

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    Does your city provide any help disposing of the trees that are downed?

    If you get it cut up and at the curb, will they take it from there, or do you have to get it hauled off yourself?

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    If I lived near you, I'd be there with my chain saw. I think your little trees may be alive under there if you can get the big tree cleared. The fruit is most likely gone and they may be broken, but the roots are established and they could grow back.

  • sammy zone 7 Tulsa
    10 years ago

    I agree with Scott and Helen, and started to say the same thing. There are many people around who could just take a saw to that tree, and get it to the point that you could have it hauled away. It is on the ground, so there is no liability or fear of hitting the house when it is dropped.

    Through the years we have had many "arborists" to cut the inside of the tree. We are in the same city, and they are easy to find.

    Roses need three years to begin to show their beauty. When they are squashed to the ground, the roots still will be four years old next year, and the growth is that of a four year old rose. You will have plenty of time now for your trees to grow, even if they do not produce fruit.

    Good luck.

  • elkwc
    10 years ago

    Jo It is sad to see the destruction in your yard. I know the frustration. I agree with Sheila but also know how depressing it is. Nine years ago in March my "boy" went home to the Lord after a vehicle accident. On June 27th we received 6.5 inches of rain and it hailed for around 45 minutes. My garden was beautiful that year. I had debated about an hour before the storm hit whether to pick a few tomatoes that were just barely blushing. They said we had a 10% chance of any moisture. It built up over us rather fast and just set here for almost two hours. On top of flooding I had a lot of damage. My garden was totaled. I don't think one plant survived. Some of the hail was over golf ball sized. After the loss of my "boy" I put it into perspective but like I said it was depressing. We both know our only choice is to move on but that doesn't stop us from being depressed over all the work we saw go down the drain before we were able to reap any benefits from it. I hope the fruit trees are fine when you get the big tree removed. I know our time is coming for a bad one as it has been a while since we had one. I have had lots of wind damage this year. Jay

  • ezzirah011
    10 years ago

    I am so very sorry to hear this, Jo. What ever that was really tore things up. WOW....

    I wish I had words of wisdom for you, it is possible to replant some of the trees that fell?

  • TaraLeighInKV
    10 years ago

    I so sorry to hear about what must have been a beautiful orchard.

    When you are calling around trying to find someone to remove the tree, ask if they will give you a discount if they can take the tree. It's not the time of year for it, but some will charge less for the work if they can take the tree for firewood themselves, or to sell in the fall.

    My husband said he's seen people post pictures of downed trees on craigslist and labeled it 'free firewood, you cut and haul' and were able to get trees removed at no cost. I would be hesitant to do that if the orchard trees are mostly intact as they might not be careful with those, but it is an option you could try.

    Taraleigh

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    Jo, can you tell me what type of tree it is?

    I will be in your area for a couple of hrs this evening or tomorrow morning, and I can cut the tree up a little to get it off your little trees if nobody has done that yet. Our town had damage from the same storm and I have used my saws to do the same thing for a few people here.

  • soonergrandmom
    10 years ago

    Scot, what a nice thing to do.

    This post was edited by soonergrandmom on Thu, Jun 20, 13 at 12:29

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Jo, I think you should go ahead and cry. Just do it. Get it out of your system. It certainly isn't wrong to shed tears over hopes and dreams that are crushed, and I think it might make you feel better to cry and get it out of your system. Then, after you get it out of your system, start formulating your recovery plan. I've cried over less important plants than fruit trees, that's for sure.

    As Sammy noted, when a rose plant is damaged, it comes back from older, well-established roots so grows faster. I believe you'll find the same thing with your fruit trees. Think about how vigorously fruit trees can be pruned, and yet they still produce well. As long as your tree trunks aren't broken off beneath the graft, they should regrow quickly and I think that you'll only lose maybe next year's harvest, at least with stone fruit. You might not even lose it...it just depends on how much damage is done to the plants.

    Jay, Do not jinx your garden by saying your time is coming. Every time I say something like that, Mother Nature makes our time come very quickly.

    Scott, That's such a sweet offer!

    Dawn

  • joellenh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Scott, that is a super nice offer. Dave has been out there every night after work hacking away at it for hours, and it is mostly gone. You all were right, many of the little trees underneath DID survive. A couple look like goners (snapped into 1' stubs), but who knows? They may grow back.

    Challenge #2 is the fence. We are getting quotes for repair right now. It just so happens that one of the damaged sections of fence had several grape vines and blackberries growing up it. I wonder what the odds are of saving them?

    Jo

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    I went out to the farm this week to check on the property. The storm did a number there. It's in Leonard, so I was afraid when I read the earlier post about losing blackberries. I lost several trees, and will have to buy a chainsaw. My son is going to help me cut them up. I had a couple of dead trees already, so it will get used. They were already dead when I purchased the place. The young couple that lives on the front half of the property sustained lots of damage. They have lots of cleanup to do. I really feel bad for them. The only damage that made me sad was the limbs that were broken in the magnificent old Post Oak tree. One limb is still lodged in the tree. Erich, my son, and I will have to figure out how to remove it. I didn't get garden in this year due to health issues, so the blackberries and blueberries are still in pots behind the house where they were protected. There will be time enough this fall to plant them. I'm learning that taking on another place to manage at my age is folly. But, I still have hopes of being able to create something. And, only two of the new trees have been planted. My inability to get it done as been a good thing.

    Sandy

  • joellenh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here is a picture of my damaged (leaning) fence with the grapevines and blackberries. Any ideas? Can I just cut them way back, dig them up, and move them?

    Thanks!

    Jo

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • MiaOKC
    10 years ago

    Sandy, we got our chainsaw for a song at a Sears outlet/refurbishment place. For something that most people rarely use (us included) it made sense for us to get one there. With the retraction of Sears from the marketplace in our area, I don't know if they have the outlets anymore but you might look into it.

    Jo, is it possible to leave the fence alone until things go dormant later this year? If it's not an urgent fix, I might be tempted to let it go because I have a feeling a fence company will never be as mindful of your plants as you will be. We're having a chain link fence replaced (hopefully the crews start next Friday) and I have an idea that I will be lucky if they leave the 12 foot tall crape myrtle in place. I'm planning to take the day off and micromanage the crew through the tear out and post-setting stage.

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    You have to clear the grape to see what is going on with the fence. Are you happy with the grape and blackberry and want to keep them? You don't need to move them unless you don't like them where they are.

    Cut the grape and blackberry back and see what the fence needs. Support the fence and the plants will come back. The only problem would be if you need a new post right where the grape is.

    I think you will feel better when you start on your clean up. You can clear a lot of grape with a lopper only it is very hot so don't get heat stroke. If you clear some each day that will be progress. Make a brush pile and save that removal for later. You need to start on the fence. Once it is fixed and it may not need a lot, the grape can grow back fast.

    I planted a table grape of some sort years ago and not in an ideal place. I can't get rid of the thing. I just cut it back no Round-Up. Cutting it back does not hurt it one bit.

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Jo, I agree with Helen. You could cut your grape back to a short stump and it would just regrow like crazy. I imagine the blackberries will be fine too. That tolerate a lot of pruning any how. I wouldn't try to move them at this time of the year unless there is absolutely no other choice. I hope that after you prune them back, perhaps the fence can be repaired or replaced without the plants having to be removed.

    Do the grapevines have grapes on them now? If so, I'd try to postpone the fence repair of that section, if possible, until the fruit has been harvested. If y'all can't do that, well....you should have lots of grapes next year. I don't even think it is possible to kill a grapevine by pruning it. They just grow right back.

    I'm glad the fruit trees look pretty good. Even the one that snapped off to 1' stubs have a decent chance of coming back, especially if this summer had better weather than what we had the last two summers.

    Sandy, I also think y'all probably could rent a chainsaw from an equipment rental place instead of buying one if you think you won't need one often.

    Dawn

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    It is good to be there when work is done because men and equipment can damage what you want to save. If a fence company is coming to look. I would start on clearing the grape and have them come as soon as possible. You will feel better when you make some progress and a company can get the job done quickly. Then tackle something else - Progress

    edit Chainsaws are dangerous and twisted branches under pressure can get you. Anyone using a chainsaw just because of storm damage with little experience needs to be over careful. After you scare yourself a few times you will know what I mean.

    This post was edited by helenh on Fri, Jun 21, 13 at 17:46

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Helen H
    Son has lots of experience--I won't do it myself. Okiedawn, will look into rental, thanks. Also will check out the Sears Outlet. I think we have one in Tulsa.

    Sandy

  • slowpoke_gardener
    10 years ago

    Jo, I am so sorry for your damage.

    Sandy, could you use an electric chain saw? I have a gas saw and an electric saw, I seldom use the gas saw except out in the pasture. I use the gas saw so seldom, that some times it is a major problem to start. I have a beat up body that does not crank engines very well.

    Larry

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    The electric chain saws are cheap too.

    Chainsaw hard to start -never heard of it - ha ha. My chainsaw drives me crazy. I take it to the shop and the guy starts it right up - no problem - nothing wrong with it.

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Larry, I'd have to have a super long extension cord! Thanks for the offer. The trees are both quite a ways from the house. I think my son is looking forward to cutting up the trees. And the investment in a chainsaw most likely will be a good one, as there are always trees to trim and clean up at his place or ours. Erich gave us one of my favorite Christmas presents two years ago--Makita tools package. One of the tools is called a "saw-all". I love it for pruning and trimming smaller stuff. I can handle it, which is important for safety.

    When my dad was alive, he repaired mowers and equipment, including chain saws. There were always a couple around that he had fixed up. In fact, the backyard was full of all kinds of stuff that he took in trade, or was working on. We had an auction after his death, as my sisters and I didn't really have a need for all the tools and equipment. And, basically, we gave away all the tools, mowers, weed eaters, the tractor, and the rototillers. I miss him and his tools. Especially, I miss him. He always had words of wisdom to share and would help out anyone in need. He mowed the lawns and brush-hogged the fields for all the widows in the church. My mom always had something to say about this. I chuckle when I remember these things, since both of them are gone.

    Sandy

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    And to Jo,

    Sorry to have jumped into your thread. I remember how beautiful your garden was at the Spring Fling. But, having lived many, many years through many wind storms, etc, I know that you will restore it to even better and more beautiful. Keep up the faith. And if there's fruit on the grapes and blackberries, I'd leave them until the fruit has been harvested. Then get the fence repaired and prune them. That's JMHO.

    Sandy

  • bettycbowen
    10 years ago

    Jo, I just now saw about your beautiful yard, so sorry, but I'm glad your family is ok & the little fence is ok too. I would also leave the grapes & blackberries until harvest, propping them up with T-posts for awhile. Cutting them back won't hurt a bit.

    My pecan trees sustained major damage in the ice storms a few years ago, and they were uuugly for a couple of years but now look totally normal, so I'm sure you fruit trees will too. Betty

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    Sandy, I am home today and really close to Leonard. I tried to shoot you an e-mail, but I have no idea where it went.

  • Karlieb
    10 years ago

    I never thought a post on Gardenweb could makes my eyes wet.

    I feel guilty when I rip up and kill all the plants I've grown at the end of the season; I can't even imagine how you must have felt.

    But I am glad to read that there is still life under the wreckage.

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Scott, your email got to me, but my response didn't get back to you. Emails sent through Gardenweb cannot be responded to. I had this happen before. Thanks for your kind offer. I think my son really wants to cut up the trees. If you are interested in the wood, send me a message and include your email address, and I will get back to you.

    Sandy

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the offer for the wood, but I have plenty. I live just a few miles from Leonard and I hate to see someone have to buy a big saw for one job and then never need a big one again. But the little saws that are just a couple hundred dollars can't really handle trunks of large trees.

    I spent 4 hours clearing yards of people here this week and almost all were Bradford Pears. Every time we have big storms like this I learn again why Bradford pears are usually a bad choice and why pruning to strong branch angles is so important.

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Scott,

    Could you email me with contact information? Go through Gardenweb, I'll receive it, and I'll send you my phone number or contact you however you wish. Thanks. I am realizing that I didn't think this through as to the size of the job.

    Sandy

  • chickencoupe
    10 years ago

    Bill and I are grieved to hear this happened to you, Jo. If you need any help, just give us a holler!

    boniyah2000@gmail.com

    I'm just stunned about the playground. It was HUGE. But I'm so glad you and yours are OK.

    bonnie

  • joellenh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Dave cut the smaller limbs with an electric chainsaw. He is cutting through the trunk with an axe, which makes me nervous. I grew up in the woods around chainsaws and axes and log splitters. My step-father's best friend died during a routine tree removal (huge branch fell and hit him on the head. He died instantly). .

    I was out there in minus zero temps (NY) from Nov-March. I had my first frostbite at five, from being in the woods for fourteen hours. From the time I was four years old I was splitting and hauling wood.

    Dave has never done this. He is 47 years old. A cancer survivor with guts to spare. I am terribly afraid he will chop off a toe or foot.

    He came inside today after work and after working outside. Red. Very sunburned. Sweating, He collapsed and went to sleep at 7:30 PM.

    Jo

  • Macmex
    10 years ago

    Jo,

    using an ax for the main trunk is not an efficient way to handle things. I've done things like that more often than I care to admit. But I'd suggest that Dave leave the trunk and let someone help with a large chain saw. He can then split wood to his heart's content. I've been dying to get out there and help. But distances, schedules, finances, etc. pretty much keep me tied down. I was so happy to see Scott's offer.

    This last Saturday I had to take my wife to OKC to catch a plane. That took the whole day. This coming Saturday, I might manage to swing by for a couple of hours and bring my 20" bar Stihl. I could probably cut the trunk in manageable sized pieces in just an hour or two. Or, if Scott can beat me to it, that would be fine.

    We heat almost exclusively with wood and I cut and split all we use. I know that not only is the cost of a really quality chain saw prohibitive for most people, but also, even those who know how to use one, but haven't for a while, will face a learning curve. That learning curve can be dangerous. I carry some scars from such a learning curve, after not using a chain saw for 15 years and then picking it up again over a decade ago.

    It's been way too hot to be cutting wood with an ax.

    George

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    I have nearly killed myself with a saw once and almost smashed a leg one other time. A friend of mine cut a fallen tree under pressure once and it released and shattered his leg. I just don't think it is worth attempting to cut a large tree or buy a big saw for a one-time thing.

    I still have my Stihl saws full of gas mix and ready to go. The fuel needs to be used and I have time occasionally this week before I leave town Thursday. Sandy is just 5 miles from me and Jo, you are 20 miles away.

    I just tried to set up my profile to be able to get e-mails. If you guys can send me a message with an address/directions, I can come by when I am going that direction and look at it.

  • joellenh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Scott, I just just logged on and saw your post. We have been so crazy busy with clean-up, the kids, and just daily life that I haven't checked back in.

    This story has a HAPPY ending! Or, at least, not a bad one. :)

    Our insurance deductible is $2,000. The claim was just over $4,000 in damages per the adjuster. He gave us a couple of hundred for debris removal, $2,000 for the fence repair, a little bit for the attic leak which just requires some water seal, and around $2000 for the depreciated value of the play set and grill. Nothing for the large tree or fruit trees, as they did not hit any structures. So we have $2,000 for repairs.

    The city of Jenks hauled away all of our small limbs free of charge. I listed the play set for parts on CL (swings, slide, rock climbing wall, ladder. etc) for $80. A very nice man came and bought the parts, then insisted he haul away the scrap wood too. He has 20 acres somewhere and said he would rather burn it, so we didn't have to pay to get it hauled off! He is a carpenter, and said that now he can build his grandchildren a play set for minimal cost. Win-win for both of us.

    I helped him load it, and I thought I was gonna die. Some of the items were huge and heavy (the roof, the tunnel)...He brought a pickup truck and a 16 foot trailer, and they were both piled high when he drove off.

    My neighbors' landscapers asked if they could have the grill for scrap metal, so I gave it to them.

    Dave fixed most of the damaged fence with a few new rails, some leftover stain, and some quickcrete. That cost under $50.

    So now, we actually have around $2,000 to replace the play set and grill (which is about what they will cost).

    We pretty much broke even :)

    The big tree is mostly gone, and many of my small fruit trees were undamaged. One was on its side, and we replanted and staked it. A couple are snapped off. They may regrow.

    I do still have a large stump and a few feet of the base of my tree laying in the garden, Dave has been hacking away at it. But Scott, if you are ever in the area and the offer still stands, I'd love to take you up on it. Don't make a special trip, and I'd insist on paying you something for your time and effort. I'm not sure how long you are going away for, but I don't think Dave is going to get this thing chopped up any time soon. :)

    Jo

  • scottokla
    10 years ago

    Is the stump connected to a large rootball with dirt on it? Those are the parts that are so hard to get rid of since the chain on the saw will immediately stop cutting correctly if it gets into dirt.

    I am still using my saws and carrying them with me a lot so I will send you an e-mail when I am next up that direction.

  • bethanyknudsen
    9 years ago

    Hi Joellen,

    This is a late follow up, but I have a few questions for you... I actually signed up for this gardening website just so I could ask you. :)

    I have been researching the best types of Asian pears for Oklahoma, and am having a hard time getting my hands on any specific information. You mentioned you had a few planted? Which have worked best for you? It seems that fire blight is bad here... Have you had problems with it? Also, did you buy your trees here in the Tulsa area, or did you order online?

    Sorry to post these questions as a follow up post, for some reason the site wont let me email you directly (and hey, some others might have some good info too!)

    Hope all is well!

    Bethany (new to Oklahoma, and surprised by the strong winds!)

  • Macmex
    9 years ago

    Hi Bethany, welcome to Oklahoma and to the Oklahoma Gardening forum. I'm no pear expert but I do believe that the Kieffer Pear is an Asian variety and that it does very well here in Oklahoma. It is a really large fruited variety and popular among some old timers. I don't think of it as a "dessert type." But it produces a lot and is good for preserves. I just purchased one this spring.

    George
    Tahlequah, OK

  • mulberryknob
    9 years ago

    We bought Hosui from Stark Bros several years ago. It is a true Asian pear that is supposed to be resistant to Fire blight. Last year it had two round absolutely delicious pears on it. It was in full bloom this year when that freeze hit last Tuesday morn. 26 here so I think they're gone for this year.

  • bethanyknudsen
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the help and ideas! I ended up getting the 'on sale' triple play from Stark Bros. Hosui, 20th Century, and Hardy Giant (I'm guessing it's similar to the Korean Giant). Wish me luck, I'll post after I plant them. :)

  • p_mac
    9 years ago

    Please DO follow up!!! Inquiring minds want to know! And yes, welcome to Oklahoma...and the many challenges of gardening.

    I've not been a member as long as the 2 who posted first in response but I KNOW from experience you can take their word to the Bank. I have seeds from George that continue to grow and bulbs from Mulberryknob that are entering their 5th year.

    Paula

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