Pear Tree Care
Pears are sweet tasting, and perhaps the easiest fruit tree to grow. Pears have far fewer problems with insect and plant diseases then most fruit trees. They just grow and produce year after year, with very little fuss or attention. Like apples, they are long keepers, if picked when still green, they will last for months.
Pears fall into two basic types: European and Asian. They can pollinate across these two types, but the fruit itself is quite different. European pears are generally “pear” shaped, while Asian pears are usually round, like an apple. Sometimes Asian pears are referred to as “apple pears” but their taste is very different from an apple. Asian pears are extremely juicy and almost effervescent to the taste.
Growing
Sun: Select a location in your yard that receives full sun.
Soil: The soil should preferably be fertile and well drained, but pears adapt to most well drained soils.
Planting
1. Preparing the Hole
Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.
2. Placing Your Tree
Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree’s root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don’t dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2″) higher than ground level because of possible setting.
3. Filling the Hole
Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don’t plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.
4. Mulching
Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.
5. Watering
Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.
Pollination
Most pears require pollination by another pear to produce fruit. Kieffer is the one pear which is truly self-pollinating. Almost all other combinations of two pears will do the trick. The only exception to this rule is that Bartlett and Seckel cannot pollinate each other, but they can pollinate almost all other pears. So if you plant both of those, you will still need another pear to pollinate each of them.
To have successful pollination, the pear blossoms must be open at about the same time. While the pollen is compatible between Asian and European pears, the bloom time is often not overlapping. Generally speaking, Asian pears are early bloomers and European pears are mid-season bloomers. So to be on the safe side, we recommend that Asian pears be used to pollinate each other. And we recommend that European pears be used to pollinate each other.
Types
European and Asian
European pears themselves fall into two additional categories – Fall Pears and Winter Pears, referring to the approximate time of ripening. Most European pears will not ripen on the tree. In fact, leaving them on the tree too long can often lead to the fruit rotting before you can enjoy it.
Asian pears are crunchy, crispy, apple-shaped fruits. The flavors range from the tangy tartness of citrus overtones to hints of cinnamon and ginger.
Harvesting
Fall pears will ripen on the tree and can be picked as soon as they are a little loose at the stem. But pick them a little unripe – just when they start turning yellow. If you wait until they are beginning to soften, they will not keep well. Keep some at room temperature to soften and eat. Store a few in your refrigerator’s crisper and slow them down a bit over a few weeks. But fall pears aren’t really good keepers. For longer storage, choose winter pears.
Winter pears should not be allowed to ripen on the tree. This is very important, as they will get very soft and squishy. They will rot from the inside out and your year’s effort will be wasted. So pick them green and hard.
When the fruit begins to fall from the tree — that is your cue to begin picking. Choose the pears that come off of the tree fairly easily. It is as simple as that. If you have to yank hard to get the fruit off, then it probably isn’t ready to be picked. Store winter pears in the crisper of your refrigerator for at least 3 or 4 weeks to allow them to “cure.” Then take them out, as you need them, and let them soften at room temperature- this will take another week or so. If any start to rot in the crisper, toss them so that you don’t spoil the rest. With this procedure, your pears be delicious and will last for months. You’ll be enjoying fresh pears at Christmas.
Asian pears ripen on the tree and do not need to be picked green. Again, like fall pears, it is best to pick them a little unripe so that they keep better. Wait until the skin begins to turn a little bit yellow. Even the brownish varieties will show some golden colored hues as they become ripe. As with any fruit, a taste test confirms their ripeness.
Pruning
Pears are arguably the most attractive of all fruit trees. They will naturally form a well balanced shape. And when they bloom, fruiting pears have a beautiful, white show of flowers in the early spring.
First year pruning sets the eventual shape of the tree. If your tree is taller than 4-5′ above ground, after it’s planted, trim it down to that height. Pick out the dominant branch that is the most vertical at the top of the tree. This will be your central leader. Thin out the inward growing branches and any branches which are crossing over each other. Trim off the tips of the larger branches to encourage growth. See the illustration below for a before and after look at the branches.
Any shoots or branches which come from BELOW the “bud union” should always be pruned now and in the future. Brand new stems that grow out of the ground, from the root systems are called suckers. If you see them, simply cut them off at ground level. When the tree matures, suckering usually diminishes.
If your trees set fruit this first year, pick off some of the immature fruits, spacing them about 8″ apart on the branches. This will encourage proper ripening, allow the spray to cover well, and improve vegetative vigor. Fruit thinning in the future is also important for the very same reasons. Less is more. If you don’t thin, you will get many more fruits than the tree can handle, resulting in broken branches and small fruits. So don’t be afraid to thin. The resulting fruits will be fuller and much nicer.
In later years, you should continue “shape” your tree. Pear trees are best trained to a central leader (uppermost upright limb). This is the natural way your pear tree will want to grow. Pruning will keep your tree vigorous, encourage the establishment of fruit buds and enable you to keep your tree down to a manageable size.
It is generally best to prune pear trees when they are dormant. Summer pruning is helpful to retard growth of the tree. So if the tree is growing very aggressively and getting taller than you like, take it back in July to control this growth.
