I bought my house a couple years ago, and it came with 2 pear trees. No idea which ones they are - one has typical shaped pears, and the other more of an Asian pear, very round. My question though isn't about which trees I have here - I'll get to that later with better pics of the foliage, flowers, fruit etc.... My question has to do with all the fruit that is currently laying under them right now. One of my good friends in a gardening group I belong to leaves her fallen fruit under her trees to break down, and "feed" the soil and its micro-organisms over the fall and winter, then tills or works the remnants in as spring breaks. She picks up all fruit from any tree that had trouble with pests, so they can't over-winter in it and come back with a vengeance the following year, but if the fruit and tree are healthy she "composts" it where it falls, as she says this is what happens in nature.
I had always heard, and followed the practice of my Mom, and hers, and hers before that ( the family owned a filbert orchard in Oregon for generations) and picked up all fallen fruit. But I thought, being quite new to fruit trees in my own yard, I would come to the experts here at DG and ask - Do you always pick up fallen fruit, even if the tree and its produce is healthy, or can it compost in place if all is healthy.....
Looking forward to your advice!! And thank-you for your time.....
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Jamie
