I wish I would have found this forum a bunch of years ago when I started my orchard. I have a small orchard with a variety of apples, pears and peaches. Winter of 2010-2011 mice or voles or something chewed the trunk of about 6 of my trees. It killed 3 and the rest seemed to make it.

One of my favorite and strongest trees died from this. A Harrow Sweet pear that had just reached bearing age and produced a small crop of about 10 pears. It was poised to have a nice crop before dying.

When I went to remove the tree, I noticed a small thin tree had started growing up from either the rootstock or the very bottom of the harrow sweet. Two questions about this if someone can answer. Could this thin tree be a harrow sweet, or is it more likely this is the rootstock sending up something? (Identical thing happened with a HoneyCrisp on M26) It was impossible to tell as it seemed to be right where the graft and rootstock meet.

Next question. The tree was 5 years old and I suspect has a real good root system. Is the rootstock still usable? I have never grafted or even thought about grafting anything, until now. It seems a shame to waste the rootstock if its salvagable. I was thinking to take a cutting from my Hosiu Asian pear and grafting it on, however this done. The stock is OHFX97. Or maybe buying something and grafting? Ideas?? Comments??

Thanks!!

Dan in NY