How to Grow Pears: The Complete Guide

I now realize I have a Conference pear tree and a Pyrus Clapps Favourite pear tree. Cannot find any information on how and when it's best to harvest the fruit. The Clapps Favourite is laden down with fruit . Advice asap would be much appreciated

Hi, I have 2 pear trees in my backyard. We bought them from a local nursery when they were about 5, 6 feet. It's been at least about 10 years since planted. This year we saw a thick root protruding from the grass with a smaller pear tree growing from this root?! I cut down this small tree -thought it comes from a seed of a pear fruit itself, but then found out is came from this root? Worse yet, the entire area between the 2 tree that had new sods 2 years ago, now with dead grass, and the soil is dry and compacted. Are the pear trees to blame for the dead grass, they were new sod laid professionally with 4" of new soil just 2 years ago, was OK last year, now the grass are completely dead! What can I do, kill the tree, replace with others with deep roots? Thanks!

Hi, David: Thanks for this interesting and complicated question. Some types of pears--especially Bradfords--are well known for their prodigious, never-ending, and impossible-to-eliminate suckers, or vertical upshoots from their roots. The only thing you can do with these is cut them off as far down as possible, which you have done. We think that you seem to be asking whether, basically, the pear trees are sucking most or all of the moisture out of your soil and leaving none for the grass, thus killing it. While it's true that some pear trees can and do have extensive (and shallow) root systems, it is unlikely that they in and of themselves are the cause of your grass problems. Perhaps this is a case of some sort of soil deficiency (whether depth or nutrients), combined with climatic dryness? Another cause for this might be some sort of disease/pest in the grass. And, although unlikely, has the grass become too shaded by these or other trees? Our guess is that this is simply a question of watering. Thanks again, and good luck!

One day while busily munching a lovely Bosc Pear, I thought, wonder if I could germinate/grow a tree from these seeds. I placed the seeds on the window sill & forgot all about them. I rediscovered them while dusting. It was late winter/early spring. Ground firmly frozen. Since I have a large, round 25 gallon Rubbermaid container used to grow anything from tomatoes to rhubarb (Rhubarb was occupying the container for a few years) I decide to scrape back a bit of earth under the straw and plant the seeds. Long & short of it the all 6 seeds sprouted come true spring. Rhubarb didn't make it due to multiple thaws and freezes. When seedlings were approximately 2-3" I gently dug them up to evenly space around the container. Much to my dismay I broke one. Very sad about that. Well the others are doing great. The seedlings range from 9- 16". Will these potential trees be bosc? I plan on keeping 1 or 2. Family & friends want the others. Its like having kittens lol. Will I need another pollinator? If; as I understand it, these seeds are most likely as a result of Bartlett/bosc cross pollination will they be self fertile? Will they be sterile? I plan to plant in a small space using a ceramic or galvanized pipe (probably 18") to contain the root ball & encourage the roots to go down and not out. I also plan to cordon prune up against a fence in full morning & early afternoon sunlight. My Zone is 5 to 5b. I already have an Espalier Apple tree across the yard that doesn't get as much light but regularly gives me 300+ apples a season. It is almost directly opposite the proposed pear site. I have read & digested a lot of information from your other replies. It has been very helpful. My situations varies because the origin of my seedling is not commercial. I am very excited about this endeavor. Any help you might provide would be tremendous. I got my love of gardening from my father who was a horticulturist. He was terrific with trees and did amazing graphing. His graphs always worked. I don't have such good luck with mine; though, I do have some success. If needed I could take a cutting from my in-laws tree(one of those multi tree varieties which includes Bartlette) to graph to my Bosc when it is the appropriate size provided it makes it there. Thanks so much. Forgive my rambling...I'm just so excited. :) Dad gave me that Rubbermaid container so I could grow tomatoes...another of his specialities.

Is seed color not an indication of when pears should be picked? I have pears (seckel, conference) that easily separate from the tree, but the seeds are green. Same question for Asian pears. Is it just apples that you wait until the seeds turn brown before you pick them?

We are not familiar with the seed-color theory of when to pick pears but most of the experts we consulted recommend picking pears before they are ripe—specifically "when they are slightly immature"—so they will finish ripening off the tree. The general rule of thumb is that while still on the tree, ready-to-ripen pears will usually detach when "tilted" to a horizontal position from their usual vertical hanging position.

We hope this helps!

I read there is a cooling process of 2 to 6 wks At what tempature?

You raise a good point. Pears do not ripen on the tree; they ripen from the inside out, so that the center is mushy by the time the outside flesh is ready. Commercial pear growers will store their harvested pears at a cool temperature (30 to 31°F) before considered them fully ripened for selling and eating. For fruit harvested at the earliest maturity, Bartlett and Bosc will typically need cold storage for approximately 14 days, Comice 30 days, and Anjou at least 60 days. Actual times can vary somewhat from year to year. 

Without this chilling process, a mature picked pear will just sit and sit and eventually decompose without ever ripening. The cold temperatures stimulates pear to internally produce their own ethylene gas which causes the ripening process.

However, you can also ripen pears by putting them in a paper bag as they'll give off ethylene and ripen themselves. Some folks say add a ripe banana or an apple which give off even more ethylene gas. Expose Anjou pears to ethylene for 4 to 6 days and you may be able to eliminate the chilling process.

I have a pears tree, we think it is a bartlett but really aren't sure. Every year when we pick the pears the are bad in the middle but look perfect outside. I read online that pears need to ripen off the tree but I have no idea when to start picking them. I am in some 5 in Pennsylvania. The only thing we have established is that October is way too late to pick them. Any advice or suggestions for a time to pick the pears would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I want to pick them when ready. Do I need to be concerned with a hard frost before picking?