Growing Pears: Planting, Care, and Harvest for Home Orchards

Pears are a delicious treat adaptable to many soils. Trees fit small yards easily, making them ideal for gardeners craving fresh fruit.

Planting

• Outside dry western regions: choose fire blight–resistant types and rootstocks.
• Plant ≥2 compatible varieties for cross-pollination.
• Fertile, well-drained soil, full sun, good air circulation. Plant winter/early spring.
• Standard: 20–25 ft apart. Dwarf: 12–15 ft.
• Container-grown: remove pot, cut circling roots (lay root ball on side, shear through).
• Grafted: position graft union curve away from sun.
• Dig hole a few inches deeper/wider than roots. Set on central mound. Spread roots without excessive bending. No fertilizer/topsoil in hole.

Care

• Water young trees well in dry spells to establish roots.
• Early year: light fertilizer. Apply ⅛ lb ammonium nitrate per tree × years in ground (moderate fertility). Less for high fertility.
• Pale/yellow summer leaves = more fertilizer next year.
• Growth >12 inches/season = less fertilizer next year.
• Caution: Excess nitrogen increases fire blight susceptibility.
• Dwarfs: prune to central leader. Standards: central or modified leader (easier maintenance).
• Central leader: central trunk, branches spiral every 5–8 inches, no branch directly above another. Train from early summer year 1: remove shoots within 18" of ground. Result resembles Christmas tree.
• Use spreaders to widen branch angles: clothespins for small branches, notched wooden slats for larger.
• Prune regularly, lightly. Thin fruit to ~6 inches between clusters per branch.
• Water established trees regularly.

Pests and Diseases

• Fire blight
• Pear psylla
• Aphids
• Mites
• Powdery mildew

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest mature but hard. Ripen at room temperature for best quality.
• Store: pick full-sized but very hard. Refrigerate ~1 week. Or cool (40°F), dark place in containers for 1–2 months.
• Can for longer storage.

Recommended Varieties

• 'Bartlett' – standard choice. Average size, medium-large fruit, ripens yellow. Very fire blight susceptible.
• 'Kieffer' – fire blight resistant. Medium fruit, good for canning.
• 'Anjou' – light-green, sweet. Late-blooming. Good canned/fresh. Stores 6 months with minimal quality loss.

Wit & Wisdom

Pick at faint yellow blush but still green.

Drop peeled pears in cold, lightly salted water to prevent browning.