Need advice!

Hi everyone! Have several questions!
1. I have a lemon,orange and a pear tree. Do I need another pear tree for cross pollination? or can I use flowers instead?
2, Do I need 2 avocado trees for cross pollination ? Can I just have one?
3. Also has anyone tried to propagate pineapples?
4. Can I use Mel's Mix for avocado and pineapple?
5. Can I get my lawn serviced with fertilizer around fruit trees? Will it harm them? ( I was going to cover up my SFG and then remove the cover after they leave. Any thoughts?
Pics to follow: New SFG!
Thanks
alice

alijoefam5 wrote:Hi everyone! Have several questions!
1. I have a lemon,orange and a pear tree. Do I need another pear tree for cross pollination? or can I use flowers instead?
2, Do I need 2 avocado trees for cross pollination ? Can I just have one?
3. Also has anyone tried to propagate pineapples?
4. Can I use Mel's Mix for avocado and pineapple?
5. Can I get my lawn serviced with fertilizer around fruit trees? Will it harm them? ( I was going to cover up my SFG and then remove the cover after they leave. Any thoughts?
Pics to follow: New SFG!
Thanks
alice

Alice:

1. Pear trees require cross pollination, so plant at least two different varieties of pears.

3. Pineapple can be easily grown from the top of the pineapple. Cut the top from the pineapple with the green leaves intact. Let the pineapple top dry for several days and then plant the top in Mel's Mix. Do a Google search for pineapple propagation for more detailed info.

4. Avocado I have no experience with. Pineapple can be grown in Mel's Mix.

5. Fertilizing around fruit trees by a lawn service will provide to much nitrogen to the trees and you will get excessive growth that will hurt fruit production and encourage insects to attack the new growth. Also the lawn fertilizing will stimulate grass growth under the trees and the grass will compete with the trees for water and nutrients. Also when you plant fruit trees make sure any compost you use is "finished compost" especially if you are using animal manures in your compost. Unfinished animal manure compost can cause your trees to die. It did mine.

God Bless, Ward.

You do not need a pollinator for an avacado tree. See more info at: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/calif/msg0721100618354.html

Your lemon and orange do not need pollinators. I have them in pots which I move outside for the summer. Some how they even get pollinated over the winter indoors.

Most pear trees need pollinators but it can be in your neighbors yard. Not all varieties will work so look online to see what variety you need to pollinate the one you have.

Don't know about avocados

My pineapple experience is growing them in pots. Pineapples will take several months or years to flower and months after flowering before the fruit is ready. They do well in a small pot. I remove the top of a store bought pineapple by cutting down into the core instead of straight across the top. Then I set it on the counter for a couple days to dry. You can remove some of the bottom leaves at this point if they have dried up. Plant in a shallow pot using Mel's Mix. When you water be sure to water in the rosette of leaves - not just the soil.
Here are some websites:
http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-pineapples.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Grow-Pineapples/
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/citrus/pineapple.htm

I would be concerned about lawn servicing around anything edible especially if they are using anything other than straight fertilizer such as insect or weed control. If it is just fertilizer you could cover your garden and put up something to show them what areas to avoid around your fruit trees - keep them at least 3 feet away. There are organic lawn care companies now which would be less of a concern due to the types of fertilizers and pest control they use.

I have all my mini fruit trees in 3 galloon buckets and around them I put cranberry as a ground cover. On the outside edge I did landscape timber to make it look neat and tidy.

I was told you needed 2 pear trees for polination, one avacado is fine.

I would not have lawn service anywhere near your garden or fruit trees.