A note on Pears: It is time to start thinking about your pear harvest, if you haven’t already. Each variety of pear requires a different kind of treatment. However, in general know this: Asian pears should be picked when they are ripe on the tree while European pears (like the Bartlett) are picked when still green and must ripen off the tree. Also, remember that every pear needs some chilling before it is allowed to ripen.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/413
A note on the Spotted Wing Drosophilia (SWD): This was a light year for the drosophilia. We don’t know why but perhaps the intensely cold temperature we had just before Thanksgiving in 2010 reduced the population. We are seeing evidence of SWDs in raspberries and blackberries, some cherries, a few plums. So far, Washington grapes (as opposed to warmer clime California grapes) seem to be somewhat resistant to this pest.
There is no damage from SWDs to apples and pears with their harder skins.
