If you are lucky enough to have a pear tree that produces more fruit than can be eaten fresh, you need to know how to store and preserve pears. Some types of pears are better for canning but if you don’t want to go that route, what can you do with a slew of pears? Keep reading to learn how to preserve pears with and without canning.

About Harvesting Pears

There’s nothing like a pear eaten fresh at its peak, but it isn’t always possible or easy to tell when a pear is ready. Pears ripen from the inside out, so if a pear is allowed to ripen on the tree you may end up with fruit that looks good on the outside but is soft and brown on the interior. This means that pears are usually harvested when they are still firm/hard and then ripened off the tree.

Pears can be ripened in a couple of ways. If they are going to be eaten soon, ripen them at room temperature on the kitchen counter. If you want to hasten ripening, place pears in a sealed paper bag. The fruit gives off ethylene gas which then accumulates in the bag which speeds up the ripening.

For long term storage of pears, store the fruit for 1-3 months in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use them, remove pears from refrigeration and allow ripening as above.

Preserving Pears by Canning

Some types of pears are more suited to canning than others. These include Green and Red Anjou, Red Bartlett, Concorde, Kieffer, and Seckel.

Pears can be canned using either a hot pack or raw pack method. The basic difference in these two methods is that in the hot pack method the pears are heated along with the syrup, whereas with the raw pack method the pears are placed fresh in the jar and hot syrup is poured over them before sealing.

It takes 2-3 pounds of fruit to fill a quart (a bit less than a liter) jar, or about 50 pounds (23 kg) to yield 20-25 quart jars.

Getting Started

Wash the pears, peel, core and cut into halves. To keep the fruit from browning place the cut fruit in either a mix of ascorbic acid and water or a crushed vitamin C tablet dissolved in water. Drain the fruit from this mixture prior to heating or packing raw.

Once the fruit is in the jars with the lids on, process the jars in a boiling (212 F or 100 C) water canner; hot pack for 25 minutes and raw pack for 30 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes off the burner before removing from the water canner.

Other Ways to Preserve Pears

Pears can also be made into pickles or delicious chutneys.

They can be dried into fruit leathers or fruit rolls. In this preservation method, note that pears alone yield a rather grainy and tasteless product so it is better to combine the fruit with other fruit such as berries, peaches, plums or apricots.

Pears can be dried either in a dehydrator, an oven or in the sun. In this case use firm, ripe pears rather than those that are going soft. Also peel the fruit prior to drying otherwise the dried peel gets unpleasantly hard. Again, before drying to prevent brown fruit, soak in a mix of ascorbic acid or crushed vitamin C and water.

Lastly, pears can be preserved as butters or preserves. Pear butter is delicious spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel or juice and a hint of ginger. Cook pear butter in the microwave, slow cooker or oven. If you’re not planning to eat the pear butter immediately, fill sterile jars with the hot butter and process for 5 minutes in boiling water. Remove from heat and let sit for an additional five minutes before removing from the water canner.

Pears are only in season at a certain time each year but proper storing and handling of pears can lengthen their shelf life so they can be enjoyed for months after harvest. How do you store pears post-harvest? Read on to learn about post-harvest pear handling and what to do with pears after harvest.

About Storing and Handling Pears

In the commercial market, pears are harvested before the fruit is ripe. This is because unripe fruit is less susceptible to damage during transport and storage. Also, when pears are harvested less than ripe, they have a longer storage life and, with proper post-harvest pear handling, the fruit can be sold on the market for up to six to eight months.

The same rules apply for the home grower. Of course, you can pick a perfectly ripe pear from the tree if you intend to eat it immediately, but if you wish to extend the storage life, pears should be picked when they are mature but not yet ripe.

How do you ascertain when the fruit is mature yet not ripe? Pears slowly ripen from the inside out after they’ve been picked. A ripe pear will have some give when you gently squeeze the fruit. Color is also an indicator of ripeness but not nearly as reliable as the feel of the pear. If you wish to harvest pears for winter storage, pick fruit that is still firm when gently squeezed.

How to Store Pears

Post-harvest pear handling depends on the ripeness of the fruit. If you have harvested pears that give when gently squeezed (and sampled such a specimen for good measure!), eat them as soon as possible.

What do you do with firm unripe pears post-harvest? First off, choose the right pear for long-term storage. Pears such as Anjou, Bosch, Comice and Winter Nelis all store well. On that note, while Bartlett pears are not winter pears, they can be stored for long periods too.

Again, pick the pears when they are mature but not ripe. Once the pears have been harvested, storing them at the proper temperature is essential. Store the fruit at 30 degrees F. (-1 C.) and at 85 to 90% humidity. Any colder and the fruit can become damaged, any warmer it’ll ripen rapidly. Bartlett pears will keep at this temperature for two to three months while the winter varieties will keep for three to five months.

When you are ready to eat the pears, give them a little time to ripen at room temperature. Bartletts should sit at room temperature for four to five days to ripen, five to seven days for Bosch and Comice, and seven to ten days for Anjou. The longer the fruit has been in cold storage, the longer it will take for it to ripen. If you just can’t wait, hasten the ripening process by sticking the fruit in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple.

Check the ripening pears daily. Gently press at the neck of the fruit with your thumb; if it gives, the pear is ripe. Also, keep an eye out for spoiled pears. The old adage “one bad apple can spoil the bunch” goes for pears too. Discard or immediately use any pears that show signs of damage.

Asian pears offer a delicious alternative to European pears for those of us that don't live in warm regions. Their resistance to many fungal issues makes them especially great for gardeners in cooler, wetter climates. 20^th Century Asian pear trees have a long storage life and produce fairly large, sweet, crisp fruits that became one of the premier pears in the Japanese culture. Learn about growing 20^th Century Asian pears so you can decide if they would be the perfect tree for your gardening needs.

What is a 20th Century Pear?

According to 20^th Century Asian pear info, this variety got its start as a happy accident. It is not known what the tree's exact parentage was, but the seedling was discovered in 1888 by a young boy living in what was then, Yatsuhshira in Japan. The resulting fruit turned out to be larger, firmer, and more succulent than the popular varieties of the time. The plant does have an Achilles heel but, with good care, it surpasses many of the Asian pear varieties.

Also known as Nijisseiki Asian pear, 20^th Century blooms in spring, filling the air with fragrant white flowers. These flowers have showy purple to red stamen that result in prolific fruits in late summer. The oval, pointed leaves turn an attractive red to orange when cold temperatures approach.

20^th Century pear trees are hardy to USDA zones 5 to 9. Although self-fruiting to an extent, planting two more compatible varieties nearby can help increase production. Expect mature trees to grow 25 feet (8 m.) and start producing seven to ten years after planting. It may take some time to enjoy the juicy pears, but this is a long lived tree with good care and can last at least another generation.

Additional 20th Century Asian Pear Info

The Nijisseiki Asian pear was once the most planted tree in Japan but is now relegated to third place. Its popularity was at its peak in the early 1900's and the original tree was designated a national monument in 1935. The first tree was named Shin Daihaku but changed to 20^th Century in 1904.

The variety is cold hardy, as well as heat and drought tolerant. The fruits are medium to large, golden yellow and sweetly juicy with firm, white flesh. At the time of its introduction, the fruit was considered superior to the current favorites and, in time, won awards and accolades throughout the region.

Growing 20th Century Asian Pears

As with most fruit, production will peak if the plant is in full sun and situated in well-draining soil. The primary issues with 20^th Century are alternaria black spot, fire blight, and codling moth. With a rigorous fungicide program and excellent cultural care, these problems can be minimized or even avoided.

The tree has a medium growth rate and can be pruned to keep fruit low enough for hand picking. Keep young trees moderately moist and train them to a central leader with plenty of air flow at the center. Once the tree is producing, it may be helpful to thin fruit to avoid stressing the branches and get larger, healthier pears.

If growing pears in the home garden, be aware of the signs of a fungal disease known as black rot. Black rot of pear is not a major commercial issue, but it can ruin a small harvest and weaken trees. Look for this disease especially in the eastern U.S. It is rare in western states.

What Causes Pear Black Rot?

Pears with black rot have been infected by a fungus called Physalospora obtusa (syn. Botryosphaeria obtusa). It overwinters in cankers on trees and in leaf matter, old fruit, and twigs on the ground. The prime conditions for infection are warm and wet weather in the spring.

Trees are likely to become infected through sites where they have been wounded, mechanically, by insects, or by other diseases. The fruit can get infected through the calyx end, even if the overall tree is not infected.

Pear Black Rot Information – Symptoms

The characteristic sign of black rot on pears is a brown spot on the fruit that darkens and widens with age. When the rot sets in while the fruit is on the tree, you may see concentric brown rings as the rot develops. Some fruit may not show signs of rot until in storage. The rotten spot is firm and in advanced stages will develop dark pustules in the center.

Signs of the disease on the tree usually begin with the leaves. They develop small, purple spots that develop into larger purple marks with brown centers. The leaves may eventually yellow and drop. On twigs look for sunken brown or red spots, and, on larger limbs and the trunk, these spots will form larger cankers.

How to Control Pear Black Rot

There are two main ways to control this disease in pears: use good sanitation and clean-up practices to prevent its spread, and if necessary, use a fungicide to treat trees.

Remove and destroy leaf matter, affected twigs and limbs, and rotted fruit. Keep the ground under trees clear of debris and sanitize tools after working on an infected tree.

Fungicides are effective in managing black rot of pear. Application is typically in spring but check with your local extension service to find out which fungicide is best and how and when to apply it to your pear trees.

If you love pears but have never grown an Asian variety, try the Kosui pear tree. Growing Kosui pears is much like growing any European pear variety, so don’t be afraid to give it a go. You’ll love the crisper texture of these Asian pears coupled with a sweet taste and versatility in the kitchen.

What is a Kosui Asian Pear?

It’s important to get some Kosui Asian pear information before you decide to grow this variety, especially if your experience with Asian varieties is limited. Asian pears like Kosui are true pears, but, in many ways, the fruits are more like apples. They are typically round—some are indeed pear-shaped— and have a crisper texture than European pears.

Kosui pears are small to medium in size and rounded like an apple but with a little bit of flattening like a Clementine orange. The tender skin is brown with a gold or bronze background. The Kosui pear’s flesh is both crisp and juicy, and the flavor is very sweet.

You can enjoy Kosui pear fresh, and it goes well with cheeses, much like an apple. It is also tasty in salads and can stand up to grilling and poaching. Kosui is delightful in baked desserts and also in savory cooked dishes. You can store your harvest for about a month.

How to Grow Kosui Asian Pears

Kosui pear trees are pretty cold-hardy, and they can be grown down to USDA zone 4 and through to zone 9. You will need to provide your tree with a sunny spot and soil that drains well. Plant it with enough space to grow to about 20 feet (6 m.) tall and 12 feet (3.5 m.) wide. On dwarf rootstock, it will grow to 10 feet (3 m.) tall and 7 feet (2 m.) wide.

Water your pear tree regularly in the first year and then go down to just occasional, as rainfall requires.

Pruning once a year should be adequate for your tree, but do it more often if you want a certain shape or size. Kosui pear will need a pollinator, so plant another variety of Asian pear or an early European pear nearby.

Kosui pears are ready to harvest from the middle of July to early August. Harvesting pears can be a little tricky. Let the color brighten before picking them. One good sign is that a few pears have dropped from the tree.

Pear lovers know the classic flavor of a Bosc pear and will accept no alternatives. What is a Bosc pear? Unlike most pear varieties, Bosc sweetens early so you can enjoy the fruit almost from picking. A Bosc pear tree will produce later into the season than other types. This variety is an abundant producer. Usually, harvesting Bosc pears starts in early to mid-fall, and the fruit will last well into winter with proper storage.

What is a Bosc Pear?

Bosc pears were introduced in the early 1800s. This means they have been part of our diet for some time and are firmly entrenched as one of the tastiest of pears. It is unclear if the variety is Belgium or French in origin but it is a late-season producer, often called a winter pear. Cooler regions of the country are perfect for Bosc tree growing. Some tips will help you learn how to grow Bosc pears.

Boscs develop a sweeter flavor while on the tree and do not need as much cold storage time for a wonderful flavor. If the fruit is harvested very early, it will reach peak flavor in 14 days. The skin on Bosc pears is a wonderful rust tone with mottling, while the interior flesh is creamy white, sweet, and buttery. In fact, in some areas, the variety is called Buerre Bosc.

Other names include European pear, Kaiser Alexander, and Calabasse Bosc. The trees were first commercially grown in the eastern United States but are now primarily commercially grown in the Pacific Northwest.

How to Grow Bosc Pears

You will need a full sun location with well-draining soil and end-of-summer cooling for the best Bosc tree growing. A Bosc pear tree is easy to cultivate once established.

Use a stake when the tree is young to train it straight and prune the pear tree annually to promote a strong scaffold form. Prune each branch by a third in spring to help the plant achieve a nice open vase shape. As the tree begins to produce fruit, some may have to be removed early if clusters are too thick. This will allow other fruits to mature fully.

Fertilize the plant in spring by spreading well-rotted manure around the root zone. Watch for pest and disease issues and combat them immediately.

Tips on Harvesting Bosc Pears

You may want to wait to see if your Bosc pears turn a prettier color or become soft to the touch, but don't. The leathery skin and cinnamon brownish cast are a natural part of this variety. The greenish undertones will become subtly more yellow when the fruit is ripe and the base of the stem may wrinkle a bit.

The best way to determine when to harvest is by checking the neck. Exert gentle pressure at the neck to detect if it is softening. The fruit can be eaten right off the tree and will be sweet-tart, crisp, and refreshing. You can finish ripening early pears by leaving them at room temperature. Only refrigerate pears once they are ripe.

What is a Korean Giant pear? A type of Asian pear, the Korean Giant pear tree produces very large, golden-brown pears about the size of a grapefruit. The golden-brown fruit is firm, crispy, and sweet. Korean Giant pear, native to Korea, is also known as Olympic pear. The trees, which ripen in early October in most climates (about mid-autumn), reach heights of 15 to 20 feet (4.5-7 m.).

Growing Korean Giant pear trees is relatively straightforward, and you’ll have an abundance of juicy pears in about three to five years. Let’s learn how to grow Korean Giant pears.

Growing Asian Pear Korean Giant

Korean Giant Asian pear trees are suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, although some sources indicate the trees will survive chilly winters as far north as zone 4. Korean Giant Asian pear tree is not self-pollinating and needs another pear tree of a different variety nearby for pollination, preferably within 50 feet (15 m.).

Korean Giant Asian pear trees prefer rich, well-drained soil; however, they are adaptable to nearly any soil, with the exception of heavy clay. Before planting Asian Pear Korean Giant, dig in a generous amount of organic material such as rotted manure, compost, dry grass clippings, or shredded leaves.

Ensure the tree receives full sunlight for at least six hours per day.

Established pear trees need no supplemental irrigation unless the weather is dry. In this case, water the tree deeply, using drip irrigation or a soaker hose, every 10 days to two weeks.

Fertilize Korean Giant pears using a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer when the tree begins bearing fruit. Feed the tree after bud break in spring, but never later than July or mid-summer.

Prune Korean Giant Asian pear trees in late winter, before the buds begin to swell. The trees rarely require thinning.

If you love pears and have a small home orchard, you need to add a summer variety or two of this tasty fruit. Growing summer pears will give you earlier fruit, and if you have autumn pears as well, will give you an extended and longer harvest season. For true pear enthusiasts, summer pears are a must.

What is a Summer Pear?

There are many different varieties of pear, but they can be broadly categorized as two types: summer and winter. The difference between them is when harvest time begins. Summer pears are ready to be harvested beginning in late mid to late summer (July or August) in most places, while the harvest for winter pears doesn’t begin until the very end of summer or early autumn (August or September).

Summer Pear Varieties

Most types of summer pear are small or medium in size. They have a thin skin and bruise easily. They don’t store well, so be ready to enjoy fresh fruit daily or to preserve these pears. Here are some examples of summer pear varieties to try in your backyard orchard:

• Bartlett. This is the most common pear variety grown in the U.S. and worldwide. You don’t need another tree for pollinating Bartlett, but it will improve yields. The fruits are golden when ripe and delicious fresh or in desserts. Unlike other summer pears, these can ripen off the tree. There is also a red variety of Bartlett.
• Starkrimson. This pretty red pear developed as a sport on a Clapp’s Favorite tree. The fruits of Starkrimson are juicy, sweet, and floral.
• Tosca. Tosca pears are sweet and juicy with a crisper texture than most others. It was developed using Bartlett and is green, turning to yellow with a blush when ripe.
• Warren. These pears are not the prettiest, with dull brown skin, but they are well worth growing for flavor. Warren pears are sweet, smooth, and delicious.
• Honey. Honey pear trees are actually more like shrubs. They are natural dwarfs and grow no more than 8 feet (2 m.) tall. The fruits are sweet and brown to russet in color.

Do You Know When to Pick Summer Pears?

It’s important to know when to harvest your summer pears to get the most out of them. Summer pears ripen on the tree. This makes them great for home growing because you can harvest and use the fruit right away. Here are some signs your summer pears are ready to enjoy:

• The color has brightened
• The flesh gives a little when you squeeze the pear
• There is a pleasant aroma, especially at the calyx

Of course, taking a bite is the true test, but with these signs and some practice, you should be able to determine when to pick summer pears for optimal flavor and texture.

Fruit trees are our garden companions for years, and often decades. They need the best care we can give them and our rewards are the beautiful, nutritious foods they provide. Fruit tree disorders like pear scab disease can rob our plants of their vitality and health. Pear scab control is possible and it affects both European and Asian pears. An annual program and careful management can minimize the damage from this common disease.

Pear Scab Symptoms

Scab diseases affect many trees such as apples and pears. It is primarily a cosmetic fruit problem but some foliar and stem death does occur. Pear scab symptoms affect young growth, leaves, and fruit. Some tips on how to treat pear scab can see your fruit blemish free and the rest of the tree in good health. The initial signs of pear scab disease on fruit are velvety, olive green to black round spots. The velvet disappears and the lesions mature and become corky. Infected fruit are stunted or malformed. In stems, new shoots exhibit the velvety spots but change to hard cankers. Tree leaves develop irregular lesions, often at the margins or rib. The lesions overwinter and produce conidida the following growing season. The conidida discharge spores during periods of warm, wet weather which starts the whole cycle anew. Scab lesions can develop in as little as eight days after exposure on young plant material, while older leaves and stems may take months to show signs.

How to Treat Pear Scab Naturally

Controlling pear scab without chemicals takes some vigilance. Since the inoculum lives in the diseased plant material, cleaning up dropped leaves in fall can help prevent the spread. Removing infected plant materials can also have some benefit. The fruit is often widely infected in storage. Be very careful during harvest to sequester any fruit that exhibits even the tiniest lesion. If even one gets into a storage crate, the rest of the harvest could get infected. Sanitation and good hygienic practices are the only offerings for pear scab control without spraying.

Controlling Pear Scab with Sprays

Fungicide sprays need to be applied two to five times during the season, depending upon where the tree is growing. The most important spray is done just as the flowers become pink. This is usually followed every 10 to 14 days by successive spraying to eradicate all the spores. Lime sulfur sprays applied at the delayed dormant season (usually around February to the middle of March) can help prevent spores from activating. A combination of chemical and natural methods is the best method of controlling pear scab in regions with warm, wet weather during flowering and fruiting.

If you’re like me, you can hardly wait for the first winter pears to appear at the market and one of my favorites is the D’Anjou. Interested in growing your own D’Anjou pear trees? The following D’Anjou pear information discusses the care for and harvesting of D’Anjou pears.

D’Anjou Pear Information

Shopping for pears and you are likely to see the usual suspects, Bartlett, Bosc, and D’Anjou. Still one of the best pears on the market, D’Anjou was introduced in 1842. D’Anjou pear trees are semi-dwarf trees that grow up to around 18 feet (5.5 m.) in height, which makes them easy to harvest. They are not only cold hardy (USDA zones 5-8) but also drought tolerant. Simply called Anjou, or D’Anjou, the full name for these luscious pears is Beurre d’Anjou from the French ‘beurre,’ meaning butter – in reference to the fruit’s rich, buttery taste. They are thought to have originated in Belgium and are named after the Anjou region of France. The tree is not only a prodigious producer, but is also highly ornamental. It blooms in the spring with aromatic creamy white flowers that attract pollinators followed by the large, green fruit. D’Anjou pears are extremely juicy and ideal for canning, baking, fresh eating, and of course, juicing.

Growing D’Anjou Pears

D’Anjou pears require a pollinator in order to set fruit such as Bartlett, Bosc, Seckel or Delicious. These pear trees can be grown in a mini orchard grouping or in large containers. Plan to plant D’Anjou pear trees in the spring when the tree is still dormant. Select a site that is in full sun, at least 6 hours per day, with well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0.

Harvesting D’Anjou Pears

D’Anjou pears begin to fruit when they are 4-8 years old. The fruit is harvested in late September when they are a brilliant green in color and still very firm. While you could eat them at this time, the key to the sweetest, juiciest pears is to place them in storage at room temperature to allow them to sweeten and continue to ripen. As they ripen, the flesh begins to flush yellow and the fruit becomes even more aromatic. This pear has an incredibly long storage life, up to 7 months, which is why it is often given or featured prominently on menus and at the grocers during the winter months.

Care for a D’Anjou Pear

After the first year, prune the pear tree. Remove any suckers, dead or damaged branches, and those that cross over each other. Also, prune out any downward growing branches and trim the main central (leader) branches in the middle of the tree to limit the height and encourage side branching. Thereafter, water the tree with an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week when it is dry and fertilize annually with a standard or low nitrogen fertilizer.

Most fruit trees require a chilling period. This is referred to as chilling hours and varies by species. Pear chill hours for fruiting must be met or the plant will not bud and flower. This makes it important to select trees with chill hours that reflect your zone. The minimum pear chill hours should be reflected on the plant tag along with its hardiness zone. The two pieces of information are very different but important if you want a healthy bearing pear tree.

Pear Trees and Cold Exposure

Chilling hours tell you how long cold temperatures last on average. This is much different from the USDA hardiness zone, which indicates the average annual minimum winter temperature of a region. Why are chilling hours important? Without enough chill hours for pear trees, plants won't break dormancy, resulting in no flowers, few flowers, or incomplete flowers. All this means a no to low fruit harvest. Your hardiness zone will simply tell you the average temperature in winter. There are cold hardy pears for zone 4 and those that prefer warmer zone 8 temperatures. This is useful if the plant is going to withstand extreme cold temperatures in winter. It does not refer to the chill hours for pear trees. This is a separate number that tells you if the temperature is low enough in winter to break dormancy. Fruit and nut tree chilling requirements indicate the number of hours a tree will be exposed to temperatures of under 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 C.). If the tree does not experience cold temperatures equal to its chill hour range, not only will it fail to fruit, but even leaf production is compromised.

What are Pear Chilling Requirements?

The minimum pear chill hours are between 200 and 800. The actual number will vary by variety and zone preference. There are even some varieties that require more than 1,000 chill hours. Planting a tree that has higher chill hours than experienced results in lack of production. Since we plant fruit trees for the fruit, it becomes an important selection indicator. There are low chill trees for warmer regions and high chill for colder gardens. This allows gardeners in different zones to select not only the right zonal variety but also one that will receive enough time in cool temperatures to break down growth inhibitors in flower and leaf buds. Some of the most popular pear trees recently are the Asian pear variety. These typically have low chill hours of around 400 to 500. Examples of these are:

• Niitaka
• Shinko
• Kosui
• Atago

Varieties of European trees with low pear chill hours for fruiting might be:

• Comice
• Kieffer
• Corella

Plants with high chill hour needs are perfect for most northern gardeners. Just make sure the hardiness matches up with the average minimum temperatures you will receive. You can take some precautions in cold regions by planting in sheltered locations and mulching around the root zone. High chill specimens are:

• Anjou
• Bosc
• Red Bartlett
• Moonglow
• Potomac

Red Anjou pears, also sometimes called Red d’Anjou pears, were introduced to the market in the 1950's after being discovered as a sport on a Green Anjou pear tree. Red Anjou pears taste similar to the green variety, but they offer a stunning, deep red color that adds a distinctive look to any dish that calls for pears. Grow this pear tree for a great addition to your home orchard.

Red Anjou Pear Information

Red Anjou is a sport, which means it developed as a natural mutation on a Green Anjou tree. One branch with red pears was discovered on a tree in Medford, Oregon. These first examples of the variety were then used to create Red Anjou pear trees. The flavor of this pear is sweet with just a taste of citrus. The flesh is cream to blush pink in color, dense, and firm. What really separates the Red Anjou from other pears is the beautiful red skin. It can range from bright crimson to deep maroon and sometimes has streaks of gold or green. You can use Red Anjou pears for fresh eating, but they also hold up well when poached. Also try them in baked goods, like tarts and pies, in salads, and grilled or cooked in savory dishes. The color makes a stunning addition to a lot of different recipes.

Growing Red Anjou Pears

Growing Red Anjou pear trees will add a new, delightful fruit to your fall harvest. The pears are ready to pick in the fall, but they can actually be stored and enjoyed all winter. Adding this tree to your home orchard will extend your ability to enjoy fresh fruit throughout the winter months. Red Anjou can be grown in zones 5 through 8, and these trees do need another variety for pollination. Choose another variety that ripens sooner for a continual harvest. Good options are Bartlett and Moonglow. Pear trees need full sun, and they prefer loamy soil that drains well and is just slightly acidic. Loosen up the soil and add organic material before putting the tree in the ground. Water your tree regularly for the first growing season, and then in subsequent years water only when rainfall is less than about an inch (2.5 cm.) per week. Prune the tree from the beginning, shaping and thinning it with a central leader during the dormant months. Red Anjou pears are ready to be picked just before they ripen. The color does not change much, so it may take some guessing the first season you collect a harvest. Let the pears ripen indoors and store them in a cool, dark spot for the winter months.

Shinseiki pear trees make a great addition to the home garden or small orchard. They grow in a pleasing shape, have pretty spring blooms, and produce fruit abundantly. These apple-like pears are firm and crisp, less juicy that European pears, and delightfully sweet.

What is a Shinseiki Pear?

Shinseiki, also called New Century, is a variety of Asian pear. Asian pears are true pears, but they are significantly different from European pears. Most noticeably, they lack the typical pear shape and are round, more like apples. The flesh is also firmer and crisper, also reminiscent of apples. They are less juicy than European pears and are best for fresh eating and cooking. By growing Shinseiki Asian pears, you’ll get a large harvest of fruit. This is an abundant producer with six- or seven-year-old trees giving an annual harvest of 500 or more pears. This is a great home orchard tree because it isn’t very large, growing eight to ten feet (2.5 to 3 m.) tall. It also provides visual interest, shade, and profuse white spring blossoms.

How to Grow a Shinseiki Asian Pear

Growing Shinseiki Asian pears is a good choice if you want a lot of fruit and something a little different. If you like the flavors of pears but the texture of apples, this is the fruit tree for you. Like other pear trees, Shinseiki will do best in full sun and with soil that tends toward loamy and drains well. Root rot can be an issue, so it’s crucial to avoid standing water. Shinseiki pears can be grown in zones 5 through 9 and may tolerate temperatures as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 Celsius), especially if grafted to a hardy rootstock. Pruning each year in the dormant season is important, but flower thinning can also help with fruit production. Shinseiki tends to over produce flowers, so thin out a few buds on each cluster in the spring. The timing for Shinseiki Asian pear harvest varies a little bit by location, but is generally in mid- to late-summer. Unlike European pears, these should be harvested when they are ripe. Asian pears are firm, even when ripe, but they will give a little under the pressure of your fingers when ready to pick.

What are Red Bartlett pears? Imagine fruits with the classic Bartlett pear shape and all that wonderful sweetness, but in hues of blazing red. Red Bartlett pear trees are a joy in any garden, ornamental, fruitful, and easy to grow. For tips on how to grow red Bartlett pears, read on.

What are Red Bartlett Pears?

If you are familiar with the classic yellow-green Bartlett pears, you won’t have any trouble recognizing Red Bartlett pears. The Red Bartlett pear tree produces typical “pear-shaped” pears, with a rounded bottom, a definitive shoulder, and a small stem end. However, they are red. The Red Bartlett was discovered as a “bud sport” shoot that developed spontaneously on a yellow Bartlett tree in Washington in 1938. The pear variety was then cultivated by pear growers. Most pears remain the same color from immaturity to maturity. However, yellow Bartlett pears change color as they ripen, turning from green to mellow yellow. Those growing Red Bartlett pears say that this variety does the same thing, but color evolves from a dark red to a brilliant red. You can eat Red Bartletts before they are ripe for a crunchy, tart texture, or you can wait until ripening is over and the big pears are sweet and juicy. The Red Bartlett pear harvest starts in late August or early September.

How to Grow Red Bartlett Pears

If you are wondering how to grow Red Bartlett pears, remember that these pear trees only grow well in USDA plant hardiness zone 4 or 5 through 8. So, if you live these zones, you can start growing Red Bartlett in your home orchard. For best results, plan on growing Red Bartlett pear trees in a full sun area of your garden. The trees require well-drained soil, and prefer loam with a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0. Like all fruit trees, they need regular irrigation and occasional feeding. While you may be dreaming of the Red Bartlett pear harvest when you plant your trees, you will have to wait a while. The average time for the Red Bartlett pear to bear fruit is four to six years. Don’t worry though, the harvest is coming.

Taylor’s Gold Comice pear is a delightful fruit not to be missed by pear lovers. Believed to be a sport of Comice, Taylor’s Gold comes from New Zealand and is a relatively new variety. It is tasty eaten fresh, but also holds up well to baking and preserves. Learn more about Taylor’s Gold trees to grow your own.

Taylor’s Gold Pear Information

For a tasty pear, Taylor’s Gold is hard to beat. It was discovered in New Zealand in the 1980's and is thought to be a sport of the Comice variety, although some believe it is a cross between Comice and Bosc. Taylor’s Gold has golden-brown skin reminiscent of Bosc, but the flesh is more similar to Comice. The white flesh is creamy and melts in the mouth and the flavor is sweet, making this an excellent fresh-eating pear. They may not poach well because of the tenderness of the flesh, but you can use Taylor’s Gold pears to make preserves and jams and in baked goods. They pair well with cheeses too.

Growing Taylor’s Golden Pear Trees

Taylor’s Gold pears are tasty and versatile in the kitchen, but they have not yet been grown extensively in the U.S. If you’re looking for a new challenge for your backyard orchard, however, you may want to consider giving this pear tree variety a try. There can be some challenges to growing Taylor’s Gold trees. Mainly there are reports of difficulties with fruit set. Don’t plant this tree as your only pear if you want to get a large harvest. Add it to another group of pear trees for pollination and to add another small harvest of a fun new variety. Give your new pear tree a sunny spot with soil that drains well and that has been mixed with organic materials, like compost. Water a couple times a week to establish a strong root system in the first growing season. Pruning is important care for all pear trees. Trim your trees back every year before new spring growth emerges. This encourages strong growth, a good growth form, greater fruit production, and healthy air flow between branches. Expect to get a pear harvest within a few years of planting.

If you love Bartlett, you’ll love Tosca pears. You can cook with Tosca pears just as you would Bartlett and they are also delicious eaten fresh. The first juicy bite will make you want to run out and start growing your own Tosca pears. Before you purchase a Tosca pear tree, continue reading to learn how to care for Tosca pears in the home garden.

What is a Tosca Pear?

As mentioned, Tosca pears are similar to Bartlett pears. Tosca pear trees are a hybrid between the early season Coscia and the Williams bon Cretien, aka the Bartlett pear. These pears were developed in Tuscany, Italy and, due to their Italian heritage, are thought to have been named after the infamous opera by Giacomo Puccini. The earliest pears to ripen (available in the late summer and early fall), Tosca pears are bell shaped with a greenish yellow skin and bright white, juicy flesh.

Growing Tosca Pears

Pear trees need full sunlight, six to eight hours per day, so be sure to select a site that has enough sun exposure. Once you have chosen a site, dig a hole to accommodate the root ball. Amend the soil with plenty of compost. Remove the tree from the burlap and set it in into the hole. Gently spread the roots out and then refill the hole with the amended soil. Water the tree in well and continue to water regularly once or twice a week. Tosca pears will begin bearing fruit in three to five years from planting.

Care for Tosca Pear

Almost all fruit trees need to be pruned at some point and pears are no exception. Prune the tree as soon as it is planted. Leave the central leader alone and select three to five outward reaching branches to prune out. Leave branches that are growing upward alone except to trim off the ends a bit to encourage growth. Thereafter, monitor the tree for any dead, diseased, or crossing branches and prune them out. You should stake the pear to allow it to grow straight and to give it some support from winds. Also, mulch in a 3 foot (just under a meter) circle around the tree to help retain moisture and retard weeds. Generally speaking, pears shouldn’t need more than an annual fertilizing, that is, of course, unless your soil is lacking in nutrients. Be cautious when fertilizing. If you give the tree too much nitrogen, you will end up with a lovely, bushy green tree but no fruit. A great option for the home gardener is a slow-release fruit tree fertilizer, which slowly provides nutrients that should be sufficient for a year.

Harvesting Tosca Pears

Tosca pear trees will bear fruit in three to five years from planting. Since they don’t change color to say red or yellow, but are fairly yellow-green when ripe, color is not an indicator of when they should be harvested. Instead, rely on smell and touch. Ripe pears should give a little when gently squeezed and should smell aromatic.

Love sweet Bartlett pears? Try growing Luscious pears instead. What is a Luscious pea? A pear that is even sweeter and juicier than Bartlett, so sweet, in fact, it is referred to as a Luscious dessert pear. Piqued your interest? Read on to find out about Luscious pear growing, harvesting, and tree care.

What is a Luscious Pear?

Luscious pear is cross between South Dakota E31 and Ewart created in 1954. It is an early maturing pear that is easy to care for with disease resistance to fire blight. Once the tree has established, it only requires consistent watering and a soil test every few years to check on fertilizer needs. Unlike other fruiting trees, Luscious pear trees will continue to bear profusely with only infrequent pruning. It is cold hardy and can be grown in USDA zones 4 through 7. The tree will begin bearing at three to five years of age and will grow to around 25 feet (8 m.) tall and 15 feet (5 m.) across at maturity.

Growing Luscious Pears

Luscious pears are adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions but do require full sun. Prior to planting the pear tree, take a look around at the selected planting site and consider the mature size of the tree. Make sure there are no structures or underground utilities that will be in the way of the tree’s growth and root system. Luscious pears require a soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. A soil test will help to determine if your soil is within this range or if it needs to be amended. Dig a hole that is as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Set the tree in the hole, making sure that the top of the root ball is at ground level. Spread the roots out in the hole and then backfill with soil. Firm the soil around the roots. Make a rim around the hole that is about 2 feet (61 cm.) away from the tree trunk. This will act as a watering trough. Also, lay 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) of mulch around the tree but 6 inches (15 cm.) away from the trunk to retain moisture and retard weeds. Water the new tree in well.

Luscious Pear Tree Care

Luscious dessert pears are pollen-sterile trees, which mean they cannot pollinate another pear tree. In fact, they require another pear tree to pollinate. Plant a second tree near the Luscious pear such as:

• Comice
• Bosc
• Parker
• Bartlett
• D’Anjou
• Kieffer

The mature fruit is typically bright yellow blushed in red. Luscious pear harvesting occurs before the fruit is fully ripe, around mid September. Wait until a few pears fall naturally from the tree and then pick the remaining pears, twisting them gently from the tree. If the pear doesn’t easily pull from the tree, wait a few days and then try harvesting again. Once the fruit is harvested, it will keep for a week to ten days at room temperature or much longer if refrigerated.

Also known as d’Anjou, Green Anjou pear trees originated in France or Belgium in the early nineteenth century and were introduced to North America in 1842. Since that time, the Green Anjou pear variety has become a favorite of professional growers and home gardeners alike. If you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, you can easily grow Green Anjou pear trees in your own garden. Let’s learn how.

Green Anjou Pear Info

Green Anjou pears are sweet, juicy, mild pears with a hint of citrus. The perfect all-purpose pear tree, Green Anjou is delicious eaten fresh but holds up well to roasting, baking, poaching, grilling, or canning. Unlike most pears that change color as they ripen, Green Anjou pear variety may take on a very slight hint of yellow when it ripens, but the attractive green color generally remains unchanged.

Growing Green Anjous

Use the following tips when you care for Green Anjou pears in the home landscape: Plant Green Anjou pear trees any time the ground is workable in late winter or early spring. Like all pears, Green Anjou pear variety requires full sunlight and fertile, well-drained soil. Dig in a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil quality. Green Anjou pear trees require at least one other pear tree within 50 feet (15 m.) for adequate pollination. Good pollinators for Green Anjou pear variety include Bosc, Seckel, or Bartlett. Water young pear trees regularly the first year. Thereafter, water deeply during hot, dry spells. Avoid overwatering, as pear trees don’t appreciate wet feet. Feed pear trees every spring, beginning when the trees are about four to six years old or when they begin bearing fruit. Use a small amount of an all-purpose fertilizer. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which will weaken the tree and make it more susceptible to pests and disease. Prune the pear trees every year in late winter or early spring to keep the tree healthy and productive. Thin the canopy to improve air circulation. Remove dead and damaged growth, or branches that rub or cross other branches. Thin young Green Anjou pear trees when the pears are smaller than a dime. Otherwise, the tree may produce more fruit than the branches can support without breaking. Thinning pears also produces larger fruit. Treat aphids or mites with insecticidal soap spray or neem oil. Green Anjou are late-blooming pears, generally ready for harvest in late September. Place the pears on your kitchen counter and they will ripen in a couple of days.

Pears are delightful to eat, but the trees are lovely to have in the garden as well. They provide pretty spring flowers, fall colors, and shade. Consider growing Starkrimson pears to enjoy the tree and the fruit too, which are juicy, mildly sweet, and have a pleasing floral aroma.

Starkrimson Pear Info

The origin of the Starkrimson pear variety was simply a fluke. It occurred as what is known in fruit growing as a sport. It was the result of a spontaneous mutation and was discovered on a tree in Missouri. Growers found one branch of red pears on a tree that typically has green pears. The new variety was given the name Starkrimson for its stunning, rich red color and for the nursery that patented it, Stark Brothers. Starkrimson pear trees grow a truly tasty fruit. The pears start out deep red and brighten as they ripen. The flesh is sweet and mild, juicy, and gives off the scent of flowers. They taste best when fully ripe, which occurs as early as August and should continue for several weeks. The best use for Starkrimson pears is fresh eating.

How to Grow Starkrimson Pears

To grow a Starkrimson pear tree in your yard, be sure you have another variety nearby. Starkrimson trees are self-sterile, so they do need another tree for pollination and to set fruit. Pear trees of all types need full sun and plenty of room to grow out and up without getting crowded. The soil should drain well and not collect standing water. With the tree in the ground, water it regularly for the first growing season to help it establish roots. Occasional watering is needed in subsequent years only if there is not enough rainfall. Once established, Starkrimson tree care requires just a little effort. Pruning each year before spring growth emerges is important to keep the tree healthy and to encourage new growth and a good form. If you cannot harvest all of the pears, fall cleanup of fruit may be necessary too.

Asian pears are one of life's sweet natural treats. They have the crunch of an apple combined with the sweet tang of a traditional pear. Hosui Asian pear trees are a heat tolerant variety. Keep reading for more Hosui Asian pear info. With some tips on how to grow Hosui, you'll soon be enjoying these lovely pears right from your own backyard.

Hosui Asian Pear Info

If you've ever had a Hosui pear, you won't forget the experience. This variety has a high acid content and is best eaten fresh but also makes unbeatable pies. The tree produces copious quantities of medium sized, golden skinned fruit. Hosui Asian pear trees grow 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m.) in height with a spread of 6 to 7 feet (2 m.). This tree is considered self-pollinating but even more of the delicious fruits are produced with a pollinating partner such as New Century. While the fruit is amazing, the tree is ornamental with three seasons of interest and color. In early spring, the plant has a massive flower show of dainty white blooms. Foliage is glossy green but changes to bronze in mid spring. The fruits arrive at the end of summer and are soon followed by another leaf change, bright red.

How to Grow Hosui Pears

Asian pears prefer cooler temperate regions, but this variety is heat tolerant. The Hosui is suited for USDA zones 4 to 10. Hosui trees need just 450 chilling hours to form fruit. Trees are drought tolerant once established but produce better when regularly irrigated. They prefer full sun and well-draining, loamy soil. Soak the roots of bare root trees for 24 hours in water prior to planting. Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the spread of the roots and make a little pyramid of loosened soil at the bottom of the hole for the roots to spread over. Back fill and water in soil to remove air pockets. Hosui tree care after planting consists of regular watering and training of young plants.

Caring for Hosui Asian Pears

Young plants may need to be staked initially to promote the formation of a strong, vertical central leader. Use organic mulch around the root zone to conserve moisture and prevent competitive weeds. Asian pears don't need much pruning and naturally develop an open upright shape. Practice dormant pruning when the plant needs resizing or removal of water spouts and crossed branches. When fruit starts to form, thin to just one per spur. Hosui seems to have some resistance to fire blight, a common disease of pears. As with any tree, keep a close watch for pests and signs of disease and act immediately. Hosui tree care is quite effortless, and the pear trees will produce for years with very little interference on your part.

Pears in the home orchard can be delightful. The trees are pretty and produce spring flowers and tasty fall fruit that can be enjoyed fresh, baked, or canned. But, if you live in a cold climate, growing any kind of fruit tree can be challenging. There are, however, some pears for cold climates; you only need to find the right varieties.

Cold Hardy Pear Trees

While apple trees may first come to mind when considering fruit to grow in colder climates, they are not the only ones that will adapt. There are pear varieties that definitely won’t make it in colder zones, including most Asian pear varieties. On the other hand, pear tree cold tolerance is possible, and there are some cultivars from Europe and from northern states, like Minnesota, that will work at least in zones 3 and 4:

• Flemish Beauty. This is an old European variety of pear that is known for its sweet flavor. It is large and has a white, creamy flesh.
• Luscious. Luscious pears are medium to small in size and have a firm texture and a flavor similar to that of Bartlett pears.
• Parker. Also similar to Bartlett in flavor, Parker pears may be borderline hardy in zone 3.
• Patten. Patten trees produce large pears that are great for eating fresh. It is somewhat self-pollinating, but you’ll get more fruit with a second tree.
• Gourmet. Gourmet pear trees are fairly hardy and produce a tasty fruit, but they won’t pollinate other trees.
• Golden Spice. This cultivar doesn’t produce the best fruit, but it is hardy and can serve as a pollinator for other trees.

There are even some varieties of pear that can be grown in zones 1 and 2. Look for Nova and Hudar, New York-developed pears that can grow in Alaska. Also try Ure, which is one of the hardiest of all pears. It grows slowly but produces a tasty fruit.

Growing Pears in Northern Climates

Pear trees are generally easy to grow because there are not too many pests or diseases that trouble them. They need pruning and patience, as they won’t produce for the first few years, but once established, pear trees will produce prolifically for years. Pears that grow in cold climates may need a little extra protection in the winter. Young pear tree bark is thin and can be damaged by sunscald in the winter when there is no foliage to protect it. A white tree wrap around the trunk will reflect sunlight away to prevent damage. This can also stabilize temperatures around the tree, preventing it from freezing, thawing, and splitting. Use a tree guard in the winter months for the first few years, until your pear tree has grown thicker, scalier bark.

For a tree that produces an abundance of tasty, early fruit and that will resist some diseases while being hardy even in the coldest areas of the continental 48 states, consider cultivating an Early Gold pear in your backyard orchard. This is a great tree for delicious fruit, spring flowers, and fall color.

About Early Gold Pear Trees

If you’re looking for a tasty pear, Early Gold is tough to beat. There are other reasons to grow this pear tree, like shade and ornamental qualities, but the best reason is to enjoy the pears. They are light green to gold in color and have a crisp, sweet, white flesh. You can enjoy Early Gold pears fresh off the tree, but they also hold up well in desserts, baked goods, and when canned. The Early Gold pear tree developed from a seedling of the Ure variety of pear. It was found to have significant improvements over its ancestor, including better hardiness. You can grow this tree up to zone 2. It also resists chlorosis, is more vigorous, and is ready to harvest ten days earlier than its predecessor. You can expect to pick ripe Early Gold pears in early fall.

How to Grow Early Gold Pears

Start by finding a good location for your pear tree and be sure the soil will drain well. These trees cannot tolerate standing water and will need full sun. Early Gold grows up to 25 feet (7.6 m.) tall and about 20 feet (6 m.) in spread, so make sure it has room to grow without getting crowded. Although it doesn’t like standing water, your pear tree will need to be watered regular. It does prefer moist soil, and this is especially important in the first growing season. Also important that first season is pruning. Trim your young tree with a central leader and a few offshoots to ensure that the branch structure remains open. This allows for even distribution of sunlight, good airflow, and better fruit ripening. Apply a fertilizer each year just before spring growth appears, and keep pruning at least minimally year after year to maintain shape and good health of the tree. You can expect to be able to harvest Early Gold pears early in the fall, often in the first weeks of September. In addition to pruning to maintain the tree, a pear can be a little messy. If you can’t keep up with harvesting fruit, they will drop and make a sticky mess on the ground that requires cleanup. Fortunately, these pears can well, so you can pick and preserve them for later.

Bartletts are considered the classic pear tree in the United States. They are also the most popular type of pear in the world, with their large, sweet, green-yellow fruit. Growing Bartlett pears in your home orchard will give you a continual supply of this delicious fruit. For Bartlett pear information plus tips on how to care for a Bartlett pear tree, read on.

Bartlett Pear Information

Bartlett pears aren’t just popular in this country, they are also a favorite pear in Britain. Not by the same name, though. In England, Bartlett pear trees are called Williams pear trees and the fruit are called Williams pears. According to Bartlett pear information, that name was given to the pears much earlier than Bartlett. After the pears were developed in England, the variety came into the control of a nurseryman named Williams. He sold it around Britain as the Williams pear. Sometime around 1800, several Williams trees were brought into the United States. A man named Bartlett propagated the trees and sold them as Bartlett pear trees. The fruit were called Bartlett pears and the name stuck, even when the error was discovered.

Growing Bartlett Pears

Growing Bartlett pears is big business in the United States. For example, in California, 75 percent of all pears grown commercially are from Bartlett pear trees. Gardeners also enjoy growing Bartlett pears in home orchards. Bartlett pear trees typically grow to about 20 feet (6 m.) tall and 13 feet (4 m.) wide, although dwarf varieties are available. The trees require full sun, so pick a location with at least six hours a day of direct sun if you are growing Bartlett pears. How to care for Bartlett pears? You’ll need to provide Bartlett pear trees a site with deep, moist and well-draining soil. It should be slightly acidic. Regular irrigation is also an essential part of care for Bartlett pears since the trees don’t tolerate drought. You’ll also need to plant a compatible pear species nearby for pollination, like Stark, Starking, Beurre Bosc, or Moonglow.

Bartlett Pear Harvesting

Bartlett pears are unique in that they lighten in color as they mature. On the tree, the pears are green, but they turn yellow as they ripen. Green pears are crisp and crunchy, but they grow soft and sweet as they turn yellow. Bartlett pear harvesting doesn’t occur after the pears are ripe. Instead, you should harvest the fruit when it is mature but not ripe. That allows the pears to ripen off the tree and makes for smoother, sweeter fruit. The timing of Bartlett pear harvesting varies depending on where you live. In the Pacific Northwest, for example, the pears are harvested in late August or early September.

Firm and crisp, Concorde pears are juicy and delicious off the tree, but the flavor becomes even more distinctive with ripeness. These luscious pears are suitable for nearly every purpose – ideal for eating fresh out of hand or mixing into fresh fruit salads, or they can easily be canned or baked. Concorde pears store well and generally last about five months. Read on for more Concorde pear info, and learn the basics of growing Concorde pears.

Concorde Pear Information

Concorde pears, a fairly new variety, hales from the U.K. The trees are a cross between Comice and Conference pears, with some of the best features of each. These attractive pears display a rounded bottom and a long neck. The yellow-green skin sometimes shows a hint of golden russet.

How to Grow Concorde Pears

Plant Concorde trees anytime the ground is workable. Be sure to allow 12 to 15 feet (3-4 m.) from water and sewer pipes to avoid problems in the future. The same goes for sidewalks and patios. Like all pear trees, Concordes require rich, well-drained soil. Dig in a generous amount of manure, sand, compost, or peat to improve drainage. Ensure that Concorde pear trees receive at least six to nine hours of sunlight per day. Concorde pears are self-fertile so they don’t require a pollinator. However, a pear tree nearby ensures a larger harvest and better-quality fruit. Good candidates include:

• Bosc
• Comice
• Moonglow
• Williams
• Gorham

Harvest time for Concorde pears is generally late September into October. Harvest Concorde pears when they’re still slightly under-ripe.

Care of Concorde Pear Trees

Water the pear trees deeply at planting time. Thereafter, water well whenever the soil feels dry. After the first few years, supplemental water is generally required only during extremely dry spells. Feed your pear trees every spring, beginning when the tree begins bearing fruit – generally when the trees are four to six years old. Use a small amount of an all-purpose fertilizer or a product formulated specifically for fruit trees. (Concorde pear trees need very little supplemental fertilizer if your soil is highly fertile.) Concorde pears generally don’t require a lot of pruning, but if necessary, you can tidy up the tree before new growth appears in late winter or early spring. Thin the canopy to improve air circulation. Remove dead and damaged growth, or branches that rub or cross other branches. Also, remove wayward growth and “water sprouts” as they appear. Thin young trees when the pears are smaller than a dime, as Concorde pear trees are heavy bearers that often produce more fruit than the branches can support without breaking. Thinning pears also produces larger fruit. Remove dead leaves and other plant debris under the trees every spring. Sanitation helps control diseases and pests that may have overwintered in the soil.

Diseases that hit plants under the soil are particularly annoying because they can be hard to spot. Armillaria rot or pear oak root fungus is just such a sneaky subject. Armillaria rot on pear is a fungus that attacks the roots system of the tree. The fungus will travel up the tree into the stems and branches. There are few external signs of the disease and those few mimic several other root diseases. We'll tell you how to prevent pear armillaria rot so you can avoid this deadly disease in your pear trees.

Identifying Pear Oak Root Fungus

If a healthy tree suddenly gets limp and lacks vigor, it may be pear armillaria root and crown rot. Pears with armillaria root rot are not going to get better and the disease can be spread quickly in orchard situations. To avoid loss of the tree, site selection, plant resistance and careful sanitation practices may help. The fungus lives in the roots of trees and thrives when soil is cool and moist. Pears with armillaria rot will start to decline over several years. The tree produces small, discolored leaves which drop off. Eventually, twigs and then branches die. If you were to unearth the roots of the tree and scrape away the bark, a white mycelium will reveal itself. There may also be honey colored mushrooms at the base of the trunk in late winter to early fall. Infected tissue will have a strong mushroom odor. Pear armillaria crown and root rot survives in dead roots left in soil. It can survive for decades. Where plants are installed in areas that once hosted oak, black walnut or willow trees, the incidences of infection increase. Infected orchards are often found where irrigation is from streams or rivers that were once lined with oak trees. The fungus can also be spread with farm machinery that is contaminated with the fungus or from flood water. In high density orchards, the disease can spread from tree to tree. Often, the plants at the center of the orchard exhibit the first signs, with disease progression moving outward.

How to Prevent Pear Armillaria Rot

There are not effective treatments for armillaria rot on pear. Trees need to be removed to prevent the spread of the fungus. Care should be taken to get out all the root material. Some good results have been obtained by exposing the crown and upper root area of an infected tree. Dig soil away in spring and leave the area exposed through the growing season. Keep the area clean of plant debris and keep the area as dry as possible. Prior to planting new trees, fumigate the soil. Any infected plant material should be burned to prevent accidental spread of the fungus to host plants. Selecting a site with excellent drainage, where no host plants were grown and using a resistant pear strain are the most effective means of avoiding pear armillaria crown and root rot.

Asian pears, native to China and Japan, taste like regular pears, but their crispy, apple-like texture differs substantially from Anjou, Bosc, and other more familiar pears. Shinko Asian pears are large, juicy fruits with a rounded shape and attractive, golden-bronze skin. Shinko pear tree growing isn’t difficult for gardeners in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Read on for more Shinko Asian pear information and learn how to grow Shinko pears.

Shinko Asian Pear Info

With shiny green leaves and masses of white blooms, Shinko Asian pear trees are a valuable addition to the landscape. Shinko Asian pear trees tend to be resistant to fire blight, which makes them a good choice for home gardeners. Height of Shinko Asian pears trees at maturity ranges from 12 to19 feet (3.5 -6 m.), with a spread of 6 to 8 feet (2-3 m.). Shinko pears are ready for harvest from mid-July through September, depending on your climate. Unlike European pears, Asian pears can be ripened on the tree. Chilling requirements for Shinko Asian pears is estimated to be at least 450 hours below 45 F. (7 C.). Once harvested, Shinko Asian pears store well for two or three months.

How to Grow Shinko Pears

Shinko pear trees need well-drained soil, as the trees don’t tolerate wet feet. At least six to eight hours of sunlight per day promotes healthy blooming. Shinko pear trees are partially self-fruitful, which means it’s a good idea to plant at least two varieties nearby to ensure successful cross-pollination. Good candidates include:

• Hosui
• Korean Giant
• Chojuro
• Kikusui
• Shinseiki

Shinko Pear Tree Care

With Shinko pear tree growing comes adequate care. Water Shinko pear trees deeply at planting time, even if it’s raining. Water the tree regularly – whenever the soil surface dries out slightly – for the first few years. It’s safe to cut back on watering once the tree is well established. Feed Shinko Asian pears every spring using an all-purpose fertilizer or a product formulated specifically for fruit trees. Prune Shinko pear trees before new growth appears in late winter or early spring. Thin the canopy to improve air circulation. Remove dead and damaged growth, or branches that rub or cross other branches. Remove wayward growth and “water sprouts” throughout the growing season. Thin young fruit when the pears are no larger than a dime, as Shinko Asian pears often produce more fruit than the branches can support. Thinning also produces larger, higher quality fruit. Clean up dead leaves and other plant debris under the trees every spring. Sanitation helps eliminate pests and disease that may have overwintered.

An excellent choice for an Asian pear is the Chojuro. What’s a Chojuro Asian pear have the others don’t? This pear is touted for its butterscotch flavor! Interested in growing Chojuro fruit? Read on to find out how to grow Chojuro Asian pears including Chojuro pear tree care.

What is a Chojuro Asian Pear Tree?

Originating from Japan in late 1895, Chojuro Asian pear trees (Pyrus pyrifolia ‘Chojuro’) are a popular cultivar with russetted orange-brown skin and crisp, juicy white flesh at about 3 inches (8 cm.) or more. The fruit is known for its lengthy storage life too, about 5 months refrigerated. The tree has large, waxy, dark green foliage that turns a gorgeous red/orange in the fall. At maturity the tree will reach 10-12 feet (3-4 m.) in height. Chojuro blooms in early April and fruit ripens in late August to early September. The tree will begin bearing 1-2 years after planting.

How to Grow Chojuro Asian Pears

Chojuro pears can be grown in USDA zones 5-8. It is hardy to –25 F. (-32 C.). Chojuo Asian pears need another pollinator for cross pollination to occur; plant either two Asian pear varieties or one Asian pear and an early European pear such as Ubileen or Rescue. Select a site that is in full sun, with loamy, well-draining soil and a pH level of 6.0-7.0 when growing Chojuro fruit. Plant the tree so that the rootstock is 2 inches (5 cm.) above the soil line.

Chojuro Pear Tree Care

Provide the pear tree with 1-2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) of water per week depending upon weather conditions. Prune the pear tree annually. To get the tree to produce the largest pears, you can thin the tree. Fertilize the pear just after new leaves emerge in the later winter or early spring. Use an organic plant food or nonorganic fertilizer like 10-10-10. Avoid nitrogen rich fertilizers.

There is something unique and wonderful about the sweet, snap of an Asian pear. Ichiban Nashi Asian pears are the first of these eastern fruits to ripen. The fruits are often called salad pears because the crunch and flavor add life to fruit or vegetable bowls. The Asian pear Ichiban Nashi ripens as early as late June, so you can enjoy its crispy, refreshing taste along with many of your favorite early summer fruits.

Asian First Pear Information

Asian pears prefer temperate climates but can thrive in cooler regions. What is an Ichiban Nashi pear? Ichiban Nashi Asian pears are also known as first pears because of the early arrival of ripe fruit. They originated in Japan and can be grown in United States Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 9. It is said the fruit doesn't keep much longer than two months in cold storage, so it is best to enjoy them fresh when they are in season. The tree is very productive and grows at a medium rate. Like most pomes, Asian pear trees need a chilling period to stimulate spring growth, flower production and fruit development. Ichiban Asian pears need 400 hours of chilling at 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 C.). Mature trees can grow 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.5 m.) tall but can also be kept smaller with pruning or there are dwarf varieties of the species available. The tree requires a pollinating partner such as Yoinashi or Ishiiwase. This Asian pear is known as a russeted variety. While the fruit more closely resembles an apple, it is a true pear, although a rounded version. The russeting is a brownish, rust color on the skin which may just affect a small area or the entire fruit. The pears are medium sized and have crisp flavor. The flesh is creamy yellow and has a delicious resistance when bitten into while still carrying a mellow sweetness. While these pears don't have a long cold storage life, they can be cored and sliced to freeze them for baking or sauces.

How to Grow Ichiban Nashi Trees

Asian pear trees are tolerant of a range of conditions but prefer full sun, well-draining, slightly acidic soil, and average fertility. Keep young plants moderately moist as they establish. It is important to trees at installation. Use a stake if necessary to keep a strong straight leader. Select 3 to 5 well-spaced branches as the scaffolding. Remove the rest. The idea is to create a main vertical stem with radiating branches that allow light and air into the interior of the plant. The best time to prune is late winter to early spring. Fertilize in April annually with a fruit tree food. Keep a watch for disease and insect activity and take steps immediately to protect your tree's health.

If you are thinking of adding a pear tree to the home orchard, take a look at Seckel sugar pears. They are the only native American pear grown commercially. What is a Seckel pear tree? It’s a type of fruit tree that produces fruit so sweet they are called Seckel sugar pears. Read on for more information about Pyrus communis ‘Seckel’ trees.

Seckel Pear Information

The vast majority of pear trees available in commerce are cultivars imported from Europe. But one type of pear tree, Pyrus ‘Seckel’ trees, started from a wild seedling in Pennsylvania. This type of pear, pronounced SEK-el, is a variety of fruit tree that grows tiny, bell-shaped pears that are very sweet. According to Seckel pear information, the harvest period starts in September and lasts until February. The pears can last up to five months in storage. Seckel sugar pears are considered dessert pears. They are small but chubby, with rounded, olive green bodies and short necks and stems. Those growing pear Seckel trees find the fruit to be snack size. You can tuck a few Seckel sugar pears into a lunchbox but you can also can them whole or use them in cooking. Seckel trees are easy to grow. They are cold hardy and, in fact, grow best in cool regions. The trees thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8.

Growing Seckel Pears

If you live in a region with an appropriate climate, it’s not hard to start growing Seckel pears. Like all pear trees, Seckel requires a full sun location to produce an abundant crop. When picking a planting location, remember that mature standard-size trees grow to 20 feet (6 m.) tall and 13 feet (4 m.) wide. Dwarf varieties top out at half that height and width. Be sure to allow sufficient space for your Seckel trees to thrive. Plant these trees in loamy soil. It is very important to provide them with soil that drains well since the trees won’t do well in wet locations. They do best if the soil pH is between 6 and 7. Seckel pear trees do need another variety nearby in order to fruit. Good choices as pollinators include Starking, Delicious or Moonglow. When you are growing these pears, you won’t have to worry about fire blight. The trees are resistant to this disease.

Sooty blotch of pear trees is both the name of a fungal disease that attacks pear trees and also an apt description of its effects. Sooty blotch on pears leaves dark gray smudges or blotches on the outside of the fruit. Sooty blotch, which also affects apples, is very common, so if you have pears in your home orchard, you need to know about the fungal disease. Read on for information to help you identify pears with sooty blotch, as well as tips for pear sooty blotch treatment.

About Sooty Blotch on Pears

Pears with sooty blotch are under attack by a fungus or perhaps several fungi. These can include:

• Gloeodes pomigena
• Zygophiala jamaicensis
• Leptodontium elatius
• Peltaster fructicola
• Geastrumia polystigmatis

The fungi that cause sooty blotch causes black smudges on the skin of the pear, smudges that are actually fungal strands. Pears with sooty blotch look a little dirty, as if someone handled them with sooty fingers. Sooty blotch fungi overwinter in infected plants. It can reside in brambles and grass as well as other fruit trees. The fungi thrive in wet springs and summers when temperatures are still cool. Sooty blotch on pears detracts from the appearance of the fruit. Pears grown commercially that get this disease are not marketable even though the pathogens do not penetrate into the flesh.

Control of Pear Sooty Blotch

You can reduce your pear’s risk of getting sooty blotch by the cultural care you offer your orchard. A primary goal is preventing your pear trees from remaining wet after the rain since the fungi requires periods of wetness to thrive. Pruning your pear trees can provide control of pear sooty blotch. An annual pruning opens up the tree to sun and wind, allowing interior fruit to dry. When many fruits are competing for space, the pears touch one another and remain wet in those shadowed areas. Thinning fruit so that the young pears don’t touch helps prevent sooty blotch. Likewise, mowing the orchard prevents low-hanging fruit from getting wet by touching high wet grass. Removing brambles in the area also provides control of pear sooty blotch. Brambles are major hosts of the fungi and can pass it to orchards in the area. Fungicides can also serve as part of pear sooty both treatment. Use any fungicide according to label directions.

Fruits with soft, necrotic spots may be victims of bitter rot on pear. This is primarily an orchard disease but may affect homegrown fruit. The disease does not need injury to penetrate the fruit, and it can attack young fruit but is most prevalent on maturing pear trees. Pears with bitter rot will become inedible which is a huge concern in commercial production. Learn how to prevent bitter pear rot in your plants.

What Causes Bitter Pear Rot?

Few things are as delightful as a fresh, ripe pear. Spots on pears may be a symptom of bitter rot, a disease of apples, pears, peach, quince, and cherry. Various conditions affect the development of the disease including temperature, tree health, site, and soil. Bitter rot on pear affects only the fruit and generally occurs during the hottest periods of the growing season. There are several cultural and hygienic steps you can take to prevent pears with bitter rot. The causal agent is a fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (syn. Glomerella cingulata). It overwinters in fruit mummies, cracked bark, dead plant material, and cankers. The spores are spread by birds, rain splash, wind, and possibly insects. The disease really gets going when conditions are rainy and temperatures are 80 to 90 degrees F. (27-32 C.). When hot, muggy weather occurs late in the season, an epidemic of the fungus may occur. In orchards the disease can spread rapidly from tree to tree, causing huge economic loss. It only affects fruit, although occasionally some cankers will form on tree bark.

Symptoms of Bitter Rot on Pear

Symptoms are generally observed in late summer. The fungus is one of the few that can penetrate the skin of the fruit without an entry wound. The first signs are small, round brown spots on fruit. If temperature and humidity are high, the spots rapidly enlarge. Once the spots become ¼ inch (6 mm.), they begin to sink in and have a saucer shape. Once the spots are ½ inch (1 cm.), the fruiting bodies appear. These are tiny black spots in the rotting center of the spot. Pears with bitter rot then begin to ooze a pink, gelatinous substance that leaks and soaks down onto lower dependent fruits. The fruit will continue to decay and eventually shrink into a mummy.

How to Prevent Bitter Pear Rot

The first steps to avoiding fungal spots on pears is to clean up the area after the harvest period. Remove any mummies on the ground and those clinging to the tree. If there are wounds to the tree, treat them with fungicide or cut damaged limbs back to healthy material. Remove any pruned wood from the area. Provide good care including fertilizer, water, and pruning to encourage healthy growth and a vigorous tree. During the growing season, apply a fungicide every 10 to 14 days to manage the disease. In organic situations, good sanitary practices and care are the best preventatives.

What are Comice pears? They are the “lookers” of the pear varieties. There are the gorgeous, succulent fruits used in gift boxes at Christmas time, which earned them the nickname “Christmas Pear.” If you are thinking of growing your own Christmas pears by planting Comice pear trees in your backyard, you’ll want information about this popular fruit. Read on for information about growing Comice pears as well as tips on Comice pear tree care.

What are Comice Pears?

Comice pear fruit (pronounced ko-MEESE) has a distinctive shape that sets them apart from other pear varieties. Their bodies are plump and rounded, while the necks on these pears are stubby but well-defined. The fruits of Comice pear trees are usually green, but often have a red blush over parts of the skin. A few strains are entirely red, including many of the newer varieties. Originally cultivated in France as “Doyenne du Comice” pears, Comice pear fruit are delicious, with a rich, sweet, mellow flavor and a creamy texture. They are succulent and juicy, a true pleasure to eat.

Growing Comice Pear Trees

Luscious Comise fruit, arguably the most delicious pears available, don’t just have to be enjoyed at Christmastime as gifts. Growing Comice pears is also an option so you can have them right at your fingertips every year. That said, don’t start planting the pear tree unless you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. That means that gardeners in hot or cold climates should look elsewhere for another appropriate fruit tree. Comise pear trees grow to 18 feet (6 m.) tall and wide and should be planted at least that far apart. The fruit trees also require a full sun location.

Comice Pear Tree Care

Regular irrigation during the growing season is an important part of Comice pear tree care. Although the trees are fairly resistant to drought, you’ll want to water to get better tasting fruit. Growing Comice pear trees is fairly easy, and the trees don’t require much in the way of additional maintenance if appropriately planted. You’ll need some patience, however. You’ll have to wait three to five years after planting for the tree to produce fruit.

Do pears have to chill before they ripen? Yes, pears need to be ripened in the cold in a couple of different ways – on the tree and in storage. Read on to learn more about ripening pears with cold.

Chilling Pears on the Tree

Why do pears need to be chilled? Pear trees enter a period of dormancy when temperatures drop in late autumn. This dormant period is nature’s way of protecting the tree against damage from winter cold. Once a tree is dormant, it won’t produce flowers or fruit until it is has a certain amount of cold, followed by warm temperatures. Pear chilling requirements vary widely depending on the variety, as well as other factors such as growing zone and age of the tree. Some varieties get by with only 50 to 100 hours of winter temps between 34 and 45 F. (1-7 C.), while others may need at least 1,000 to 1,200 hours. Your local cooperative extension service can advise you on the best source of chill hour information in your area. They can also provide advice on chilling requirements for specific pear varieties.

Pear Chilling Requirements in Storage

Why chill pears? Unlike most fruits, pears don’t ripen well on the tree. If allowed to ripen, they tend to be coarse and mealy, often with a mushy center. Pears are harvested when the fruit is slightly immature mature and not quite ripe. In order to ripen to a juicy sweetness, the fruit needs to chill in cold storage at 30 F. (-1 C.), followed by ripening at room temperatures of 65 to 70 F. (18-21 C.). Without a period of chilling, pears will eventually decompose without ever turning ripe. However, the chilling period varies. For example, Bartlett pears should chill for two or three days, while Comice, Anjou, or Bosc pears need two to six weeks.

There are two seasons of pear varieties: summer and winter. Winter pear varieties require cold storage before they can start ripening while summer pears do not. One reason for growing winter pears is their long life of storage. Unlike summer/fall pears, which ripen after being harvested, winter pears need cold storage for at least three weeks before bringing them out and letting them ripen. According to winter pear information, without this step, the fruits will not mature properly.

What is a Winter Pear?

Sweet juicy pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree. Since they ripen from the inside out, by the time they reach perfect readiness on the tree, as judged by the eye, the centers would be mushy. For this reason, winter pears are picked when hard and green, stored in a cool location, and then placed in a warmer place to finish ripening. Winter pears are so named because of when they are marketed, although they are ready for harvest a month or more after other varieties. Pears are members of the rose family and probably originate from Eurasia. Winter pears are ready for harvesting in fall. They are then stored in refrigerators for three to four weeks at 32 to 40 degrees F. (0-4 C.) to allow the fruit to convert starches to sugars. The variety was a favorite with aristocratic French who developed several of the most popular kinds of winter pear. Bosc, D'Anjou, and Comice are all French varieties still grown today. Add in the following and you have the most popular winter pear varieties commercially grown:

• Forelle
• Concorde
• Seckel
• Orcas
• Rescue
• Flemish Beauty
• Conference
• Duchess
• Dana's Hovey

Growing Winter Pears

Pear trees are grafted onto rootstock that conveys certain traits such as disease resistance, cold tolerance, and even size. Pear trees prefer temperate regions in full sun with average, well-draining soil. Trees will benefit from judicious pruning in late winter to spring for the first few years to develop a healthy vase-like shape and strong scaffold branches to hold heavy yields. Young trees should be trained to a thick stake initially to keep the central leader straight and true. Fertilize trees in early spring and prune out dead or diseased wood as needed. Growing winter pears is not for the impatient. It can take 20 years or more from planting for your first crops but, boy, is it worth it.

There’s nothing like a perfectly ripe, dripping with sugary juice pear, whether it is a summer pear or a winter pear. Don’t know what a summer pear vs. winter pear is? While it might seem obvious that the disparity lies with when they are picked, the difference between winter pears and summer pears is a bit more complicated.

Summer Pear vs. Winter Pear

The pear tree is native to coastal and temperate regions of Western Europe and North Africa and east across Asia. There are more than 5,000 varieties of pears! They are divided into two main groupings: the soft-fleshed European pears (P. communis) and the crisp, almost apple-like Asian pears (P. pyrifolia). European pears are best when ripened off the tree and are again divided into two categories: summer pears and winter pears. Summer pears are those such as Bartlett that can be ripened after harvest without storing them. Winter pears are defined as those such as D’Anjou and Comice that need a month or longer in cold storage before ripening peaks. So the difference between winter and summer pears has more to do with the time of ripeness than that of harvest, but they each have their own unique upsides.

What is a Summer Pear?

Summer and winter pears are as different as summer and winter squash. Summer pears produce early (summer-fall) and ripen on the tree. They are usually on the smaller to medium sized with the exception of Bartlett and Ubileen. They have thin, delicate, easily bruised skins which mean they have a shorter storage, shipping and sales time than winter pears. This delicacy means they also lack the grit of winter pears which some people prefer. Thus, they are less desirable to grow for the commercial grower but are ideal for the home grower. They can be ripened on the tree or with a very few days of post-harvest chilling.

What is a Winter Pear?

Winter pears are categorized as such in relation to their time of ripening. They are harvested throughout autumn but are then cold stored. They need 3-4 weeks of cold storage to ripen. There is a fine line here; if winter pears are picked too early, they stay hard and never get sweet, but if picked too late, the flesh becomes soft and mushy. So commercial growers rely on some technical and electronic methods to gauge when to pick winter pears but this isn’t exactly logistical for the home grower. A combination of criteria can be used to determine when the home grower should harvest the fruit. First, the calendar date the fruit is usually picked can help, although it may be off by 2-3 weeks depending upon factors such as weather. A noticeable color change is a factor. All pears change color as they mature; of course, it depends on which type you are growing to know what to look for in a color change. Seed color also changes as the fruit matures. It goes from white to beige, to dark brown or black. Pick a pear and slice into it to inspect the seed color. Lastly, winter pears are usually ready to pick when they easily separate from the stem when gently tugged. There are, I am sure, devotees of one or the other - diehards for either summer or winter pears, but as with most everything in life, it comes down to what the individual prefers.

Growing your own fruit trees is a rewarding and exciting endeavor. While it may initially seem that growing your own fruit at home would require a lot of space, more and more small-scale gardeners are taking advantage of various compact methods of growing fruit like containers. Read on to learn more about growing a pear tree in a container.

Can You Grow a Pear Tree in a Pot?

Pears, among other fruit trees, are excellent candidates for growth in gardens with less than ideal conditions. Whether growing in a small backyard, a rooftop without garden space, or a sunny apartment balcony, container grown pears is a fantastic way to maximize and utilize every inch of growing potential. So, yes, pear trees can definitely be grown in a potted environment.

Growing Pear Trees in Containers

Growing pear trees in containers is very similar to the traditional way in which pear trees are grown. First and foremost, growers will need to obtain healthy, disease-free pear trees. Deciding which cultivar to plant in the container is an extremely important decision too. Choosing dwarf varieties is essential to growing success in container culture. Additionally, growers should choose self-fertile or self-fruitful pollinating varieties. Self-fertile varieties do not require an additional pollinator tree in order to bear fruit. This is especially important if making only one container pear tree planting. Good selections for self-fertile pear trees include:

• ‘Colette Everbearing’ pear
• ‘Conference’ pear
• ‘Durondeau’ pear
• ‘Stark Honeysweet’ pear

To plant, place the tree in a large growing pot. Planting pots should be at least twice as deep and as wide of the root ball of the tree. Fill the container with a high quality potting soil mix, and fill the soil in around the top of plant being especially careful not to cover the crown of the tree. As with any container planting, make certain the pot has ample drainage at the bottom.

Potted Pear Tree Care

Pear containers should be placed outside in a sunny location that receives at least six hours of light each day. Adequate sunlight and an ample supply of water are essential for the growth of healthy container grown pears. Due to the tendency of containers to dry out quickly, plants in warm weather climates may need to be watered weekly, or even daily, in order to maintain proper moisture levels. Lastly, care should be taken when pruning fruit trees grown in containers. The selection, pruning, and removal of some fruits will benefit the plant, as it may be difficult for the container grown trees to support and ripen a large number of fruits. While growing fruits in pots is an ambitious project, it is important to note that growing fruit in containers will not produce the same results and yields as trees which have been planted outdoors in the garden.

Pear leaf blight and fruit spot is a nasty fungal disease that spreads quickly and can defoliate trees in a matter of weeks. Although the disease is difficult to eliminate, it can be successfully managed by using a combination of approaches. Let’s learn how to treat pear fruit spot.

What Causes Pear Leaf Blight?

Pear leaf blight and fruit spot is caused by Fabraea maculata, a fungus that infects all parts of the tree. The bacteria are carried to other trees by insects, wind, splashing water, and rain.

Pear Fruit Spot Info

Symptoms of pear leaf blight and fruit spot are fairly easy to discern. Fruit spots appear as small, purplish spots, generally on the younger, lower leaves. As the lesions mature, they become purplish black or brown with a small pimple in the center. A yellow halo may develop around the lesions. When the foliage is wet, a gooey, shiny mass of spores oozes from the pimple. Eventually, severely infected foliage turns yellow and leaves drop from the tree. Purple to black lesions, with spores, also appear on twigs. Lesions on pears are slightly sunken and black.

How to Treat Pear Fruit Spot

Treating pear fruit spot requires a combination of chemical and cultural practices. Apply fungicides as soon as leaves are fully developed, then repeat three more times at two-week intervals. Spray the tree thoroughly until the fungicide drips from the leaves. Water pear trees carefully and keep the foliage as dry as possible. Use a drip system or allow a hose to drop slowly at the base of the tree. Avoid overhead irrigation. Ensure adequate spacing between trees to increase air circulation, and to allow sunlight to penetrate the foliage. Rake and burn fallen plant debris in fall. Pathogens overwinter on older leaves. Prune infected growth to healthy wood as soon as it appears. Remove dead branches and twigs, as well as damaged fruit. Disinfect tools with a solution of bleach and water. Note: Any recommendations pertaining to the use of chemicals are for informational purposes only. Chemical control should only be used as a last resort, as organic approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.

Have you ever wondered what a European pear is? I mean there are Asian pears and the juicy, ambrosial Bartlett pear amongst others, so what is a European pear? The Bartlett is a European pear. In fact, it’s the most common pear cultivar in the world. Read on to learn how to grow your own European pear trees.

Information on European Pear Trees

What is a European pear? The cultivated European pear (Pyrus communis) was most likely descended from two subspecies of wild pear, P. pyraster and P. caucasica. Wild pears may have been gathered and eaten as far back as the Bronze Age, but what is certain is that the ancient Greeks and Romans wrote of pear grafting and cultivation. Pears were brought by settlers to the New World where they eventually migrated to the Pacific Northwest in the 1800’s. Today, over 90% of all European pears cultivated are found growing in this region primarily in the Hood River Valley of Oregon and into California. European pears trees are deciduous. They thrive in moist soil with full to partial sun exposure and will reach heights of up to 40 feet (12 meters). They have simple, alternate, oval-shaped, dark green leaves that are serrated. Young tree bark is gray/brown and smooth but as the tree matures it becomes channeled and flaky. In the spring, the tree blossoms with white to whitish-pink blooms of five petals. Fruit matures in the fall with colors ranging from green to brown depending upon the cultivar.

How to Grow European Pears

When growing a European pear, assess the size of your garden and choose your pear cultivar accordingly. Remember, they can get up to 40 feet (12 m.) tall. There are also dwarf and semi-dwarf cultivars available. Once you have decided on a pear tree, dig a hole slightly wider than and as deep as the root ball of the tree. Amend the soil in the hole with plenty of compost. Remove the tree from its container and set it into the hole at the same depth. Spread the roots out in the hole and then back fill with the amended soil. Water the new tree in well.

Care for European Pears

Once the new tree has been planted, drive a sturdy post into the ground near the trunk and stake the tree to it. Mulch around the tree, taking care to leave at least 6 inches (15 cm.) from the trunk, to retain moisture and retard weeds. For most gardens, fertilizing the tree once per year should be enough. Fruit tree spikes are a great way to get the job done. They are simple to use and provide a slow release of fertilizer. Keep the tree regularly watered, once or twice a week until the roots have established. Thereafter, water each week to two weeks, deeply. Compared to other types of fruit trees, care for European pears is fairly minimal. You should, however, prune the tree when it is newly planted. Leave a central leader. Choose 3-5 outward growing branches and prune out the rest. Trim the ends of the remaining 3-5 outward growing branches to encourage growth. Thereafter, pruning should only be to remove crossed branches or those that are broken or have become diseased. European pear trees will bear fruit in 3-5 years.

Growing your own fruit can be very rewarding and save you money at the grocery store. However, when fruit trees become infected with disease or pests, it can be very disappointing and discouraging. If you notice skeletonized foliage on your pear or cherry trees, pear slugs could be the culprit. What are pear slugs? Continue reading to learn about pear slug pests, as well as tips for managing pear slugs.

What are Pear Slugs?

Pear slugs, also known as cherry slugs, are not actually slugs at all. They are actually the larvae of the pear sawfly (Caliroa cerasi). This larva has a slimy, olive green, slug-like appearance in their first four instars. In these earlier instars, pear slugs are somewhat tadpole shaped with larger rounded heads and tapered bottoms. In their fifth instar, shortly before burrowing into the soil to form their cocoon, they take on a more caterpillar appearance with yellow to orange color and ten legs. They overwinter in cocoons below the soil surface and emerge in spring as adult pear sawflies. After mating, sawflies lay eggs, which look like small blisters on the upper sides of foliage. Their larvae, or pear slug pests, then feed on the upper sides of the foliage, avoiding the thick leaf veins. It is believed that the pear sawfly is native to Europe but was brought to the United States unintentionally on plants during colonial times. While they do not bother peach trees, pear slug pests can infect other shrubs and trees such as:

• Plum
• Quince
• Mountain ash
• Cotoneaster
• Serviceberry
• Apple

They produce two generations each year, with the first generation feeding on foliage in late spring to early summer, and the second, more destructive generation, feeding on foliage in in late summer to early fall.

Managing Pear Slugs in the Garden

Usually, pear slug pests are more of a cosmetic problem, leaving unsightly skeletonized leaves. However, in extreme infestations, they can cause major defoliation of trees, reduced fruit size, and reduced blooms in the year following infestation. Pear slug control is more important in an orchard setting where populations can quickly get out of hand than in a backyard with just a few fruit trees. The first step in how to kill pear slugs is careful monitoring for their presence. Pear slug control methods will only work when these pests are present in their larval stage. Some common pear slug control methods are malathion, carbaryl, permethrin, insecticidal soaps, and neem oil. If you prefer to avoid chemicals, soaps, and oils in the garden, pear slugs can also be blasted off foliage with a hose end sprayer.

A perfectly ripe pear is ambrosial, sublime in its aroma, texture and flavor. But pears, as with other fruit, aren’t always perfect in appearance. A fairly common problem with pears is split pear fruit. Why do pears split? Cracking of pear fruit all comes down to one common denominator. Read on to find out what causes pears to split and if there is a remedy when pears are splitting.

Why Do Pears Split?

Cracking of pear fruit arise from one factor - water. Simply put, a lack of water followed by a surplus of water is what causes pears to split. The same goes for nearly any other fruit cracking. Split pear fruit is a condition that is caused by an irregular supply of water. While the splits are not usually deep, they may be enough to invite disease or pests to attack otherwise tasty fruit. Sometimes, the fruit will “heal” itself by scabbing over the split areas. The fruit may not look very pretty but will still be edible. A dry period followed by heavy rains causes the fruit to swell too quickly. The plant’s cells swell rapidly, and the accelerated growth can’t be contained and results in pears that are splitting. This can also happen if the weather has been wet throughout the growth season. Stretches of wet, cool, humid weather make pears more prone to splitting.

How to Keep Pears from Splitting

While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can improve your chances of avoiding split fruit. First off, during hot, dry periods, keep the tree watered on a regular basis. In the event of a sudden rain, the tree will be more likely to absorb what water it needs and not become shocked into uptaking copious quantities that it can’t handle. The best remedy is a long term solution. It starts when you first plant your pear trees. At planting, incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter into the soil. This will help the soil retain moisture that, in turn, increases its capacity to release water to the roots during dry spells. If you did not amend the soil at planting time, apply a 2-inch layer of grass clippings in the spring when the soil is still wet. This will help retain moisture and will eventually break down to improve the soil.

If your pear tree has no leaves or small, sparse leaves when it should be covered in green foliage, something isn’t right. Your first move should be to check its cultural care since irrigation, placement, and soil issues can cause pear tree leaf problems. Read on for tips on how to determine the reason your pear tree has small leaves or none at all.

Pear Tree Leaf Problems

When you only see sparse leaves on pear trees, it’s an indication that the tree is stressed or not getting what it needs. Since the tree needs leaves in order to remain healthy, it’s important to figure out the cause of pear tree leaf problems. If you are noticing that your pear tree has small leaves just after leaf break, the situation might right itself quickly. Sometimes, an unusually cool and rainy spring season causes a delay in fruit tree leaf development. Watch and see what happens when warm weather arrives.

Sparse Leaves on Pear Tree

Is your pear tree new to your garden? If so, consider whether transplant adjustment might be causing the pear tree leaf problems. Newly planted pear trees have to work hard to regrow their roots, which were trimmed in the nursery. Often, they spend the first two years after transplant trying to rebuild the root system. A pear tree has small leaves during this time of root building. You can help the tree by providing generous irrigation during the years after the transplant. In fact, inadequate irrigation at any time can cause sparse leaves on pear trees. Too little water makes it difficult for pear trees to grow proper foliage. Be sure the trees get extra water during dry periods. Provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water a week during normal periods, and 2 inches (5 cm.) during a drought. If you use pesticides and weed killers inappropriately, this can also cause pear tree leaf problems like misshapen or sparse leaves on pear trees. Always follow the label directions. Be sure that your pear tree’s soil drains well. A tree sitting in mud is not likely to thrive. Likewise, trees need sunlight to produce leaves, so consider whether your pear tree is correctly sited. If not, move it to a site with adequate sun and excellent drainage.

Pear Tree Has No Leaves

If your pear tree has no leaves at all, it might be dormant or dead. Check the calendar. A pear tree not leafing out is normal in winter. Pear trees are deciduous and lose their leaves in winter but should start producing leaves again in spring. If spring has come and gone and you notice your pear tree not leafing out, it may have died. In this instance, apply the scratch test. Use a sharp knife and peel back a small slice of bark. It should be green inside. If the area is brown, the tree is dead.