For daily wit & wisdom, get the Almanac newsletter.

How to Grow Pears: The Complete Guide

a pile of green pear fruits
Botanical Name
Pyrus
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
Toxicity
Toxic to Dogs and Cats
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
10–20 feet
Spread
6-10 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
White
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Fall Color
Attracts Pollinators
Attracts Songbirds
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Fruit
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Biting into a juicy pear is one of life’s joys. Growing pears is generally easier than growing apples, as they have fewer pest and disease issues. They are easy to fit into small yard spaces, too! Learn more about planting pear trees in your backyard.

When growing pears, note that two cultivars are generally needed for successful pollination and fruit set. Most pear trees are not self-pollinating. You can also grow pears in containers—and plant them at any time of the year. Make sure you purchase pears specifically bred for containers.

Be aware that pears can take a few years or more to begin flowering and bear fruit. But once they start producing, pear trees are prolific and long-lasting!

There are many different types of pears; some are best eaten raw, and some are best for cooking. Learn more about pear varieties in this guide!

Planting

  • Plant pear trees in early spring. Order bare root plants in midwinter so that they arrive in time.
  • You’ll need full sun for the best fruit set, fertile, well-draining soil, and good air circulation.
  • If you live in the dry western regions, you should choose fire blight–resistant types and rootstocks.
  • Plan to plant at least two varieties of pear trees, as they will need to be cross-pollinated to produce fruit. Make sure the varieties are compatible with each other.
  • Space standard-size trees 20 to 25 feet apart. Space dwarf trees 12 to 15 feet apart.
  • For container-grown trees, remove the plant from its pot and remove any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to cut through the roots.
  • For grafted trees, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun when planting.
  • Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be sure to spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them. Do not add fertilizer or topsoil to the hole.

Check out our video to learn more about how to plant a bare–rooted fruit tree. 

Growing

  • Water the young trees well during dry spells to help establish the roots.
  • Apply a small amount of fertilizer early in the year. Add 1/8-pound of ammonium nitrate per tree multiplied by the number of years the tree has been set in moderately fertile soil. If you have highly fertile soil, use less fertilizer.
  • If the leaves are pale green or yellowish during the summer, use a little more fertilizer the following year.
  • If the tree grows more than 12 inches in one season, use less fertilizer the next year.
  • Be very careful when applying fertilizer! If you give your trees too much nitrogen, they will become more susceptible to fire blight and also may focus too much energy on producing foliage instead of flowers and fruit.

Pruning Pear Trees

  • Prune annually to keep the tree healthy. Generally, prune lightly to keep the trees looking their best and productive.
  • For dwarf trees, prune them to a central leader system.
  • Standard-size trees can be pruned to either a central leader system or a modified leader system, which is easier to maintain.
  • The central leader system features a central trunk with branches that spiral out every 5 to 8 inches, making sure that no branch is directly above another. The training for such a system begins in the early summer of the first year when you should remove any shoots that form within 18 inches of the ground. The end result should resemble a Christmas tree.
  • Use spreaders to help shape the branches of the trees. These help the branches to spread outward rather than upward. When the branches are small, you can use clothespins to push the branches away from the main trunk. For bigger branches, use wooden slats with a “V” shape notched into each end.
  • Remember to thin the fruit as well, leaving about 6 inches between each cluster of fruit per branch.
  • After your trees are established, water them regularly.

Harvesting

  • Harvest pears when they are mature but still hard. Ripen the pears at room temperature for the best quality fruits.
  • Mature pear trees produce a lot of fruit in a short window of time. Be prepared!
  • To store pears, pick them when they are fully grown but still very hard. You can keep them in the refrigerator; they should last for about 1 week. You can also keep them in containers in a cool (about 40°F), dark place; they should keep for 1 to 2 months.
  • You can also can the pears for longer storage.

Pests and Problems

Types

  • ‘Bartlett’, which is the standard choice for pear trees. This tree type is average-size and produces medium to large fruits. These pears ripen to a yellow color. However, this variety is very vulnerable to fire blight.
  • ‘Kieffer’, which is resistant to fire blight. This type produces medium fruit and can be used in canning.
  • ‘Anjou’, which produces light-green fruit with a sweet flavor. This type is a good choice for late-blooming pears. Good for canning and fresh use. This type can store for up to 6 months with little loss in quality.

Wit and Wisdom

Pick pears when the fruit has a faint yellow blush but is still green.

Drop peeled pears in cold, lightly salted water, and they won’t turn brown.

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

More Like This

Comments

<span>Tawnya</span> Tue, 07/14/2015 - 00:18
I have two Parkers and a Gourmet, which I know to be pollen sterile. Can the Parkers self-pollinate enough to produce fruit or do I need a third variety? I understand that Parker and Patten can "do their own thing" to some extent. If they need a third variety, which is recommended for zone 3-4?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 07/14/2015 - 10:24

Parker pears are reputed to produce some fruit without a second variety for cross-pollination. For best results, however, another variety would be helpful. As you said, Gourmet is sterile so it can not be used as a pollinator. So, you'd need to select a third variety that has an overlapping bloom time. Parker is a midseason pear, so look for other midseason varieties. We like Summercrisp pears. Other varieties include Bartlett, Maxine, and Seckel.

 <span>Tiffany Mo.</span> Sun, 07/12/2015 - 22:50

I just bought a house and it has what we believe to be is a small pear tree. How can I tell what kind it is and if it is edible. It currently has fruit all over it but nothing too big yet. About 3 to four inches long. And I did not happen to see any other pear trees around it.

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 07/13/2015 - 21:19

It would help to know where you live. There are so many pear varieties. As a best next step, we would suggest you contact your local county extension and provide a sample for I.D. 

 <span>Billie B</span> Wed, 06/10/2015 - 11:19
I am renting a house and have an unknown pear tree in the back yard that has over 2 dozen fruit developing on it. I am in California and we are in the middle of a drought so I have been watering it twice a week. I was looking at the tree yesterday and a couple of the fruit looks like they are shriveling up. Any ideas as to why they are shriveling up and what I can do to prevent this? My tree produces very good fruit and I would hate to lose them.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/12/2015 - 12:40

It might possibly be due to an insect or disease, such as the pear midge. Check one of the shriveled pears and see if there are larvae inside. For more information about pear midge, see:

 

http://www.ipm.msu.edu/insects/pear_midge

 

For what and when to monitor for in California re: pears:

 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C603/m603fppests.html

 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C603/m603yi01.html#FRUITDEV

 

For more about pear insects and diseases:

 

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/fqpa/crop-profiles/pear.html

 <span>Seth Anquoe</span> Tue, 06/02/2015 - 19:21
What area in the united states will pears grow in?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 06/04/2015 - 12:49

The areas you ask about are the zones, listed at the top of this page.

Click here to see the USDA Hardiness Zone Map: http://www.almanac.com/image/usda-hardiness-zone-map

Find where you live. Note the color. Check the color rank on the right to see which zone is your color. Then look above at the list of zones to see if yours is there. If it is, you can grow peaches in it.

 

 <span>Curtis Burgess</span> Sun, 05/17/2015 - 07:18
I was given a 3ft. pear tree that was in a pot. This is my 1st time ever trying to grow 1. Do I need another pear tree for pollination even if we have a lot of bees in my area? I'm in Saginaw, Michigan. Thank you
<span>Jess</span> Mon, 08/15/2016 - 21:44
We have 1 pear tree in our yard. It produces a ton of fruit so I'm not sure about having to have 2, but last year when we picked the fruit it never reached a perfectly ripened state, despite picking when they easily detached. We live in Northern Ohio. Any ideas as to when the best time to harvest is?