How to grow Pears

Christmas is over, we seem to only get about 4 hours of ok weather and you’ve just finished that last box of shortbread from Auntie Babs!
Time to hitch up those britches and get some use out of those new gardening gloves.
What better way on getting started with our guide on How to grow Pears!

Pears are easy to grow and do not take much tending to once they’ve established. They do not have much pest or disease problems like apples. Plus they’re SUPER tasty!!

Today we’re going to focus on planting a Pear tree rather than growing from a seed.
But you must be aware that it can take between 3 and 10 years for anything to start flowering. However, once the pear tree does start to flower you should see regular flowering every season. A long lasting tree that is worth the investment tenfold!

You will find that there are two types of Pear trees for sale:
Bare Root Stock = Exposed roots.
Container = Pear tree in a container.
Planting at this time of year (Jan/Feb) you’re best to opt for a Pear Tree In a container

Keep your Pear Tree in a sunny area, one away from places that can becoming frosty.

Care
– Water young trees during dry spells
– Apply a small amount of fertilizer early in the year.
– If you find the leaves are yellow or pale green during the summer do not use as much fertilizer next year.

Pruning
– Prune lightly to keep the tree looking it’s best
– Small Trees: Prune to the central leader system.
– Standard size: Prune to central leader system or modified leader system.
– Prune the flowers leaving around 6 inches between each fruit cluster.

Common Problems
– Brown Rot: It’s fungal disease that attacks the fruit. You will see white pustules of fungus on the fruit.
More common during wet summers.
How to Fix: Remove rotten fruit. This will stop or slow the spread of the rot.

– Pear Rust: Bright orange spots on the pear leaves during the summer and early autumn months.
How To Fix: Remove infected leaves.

– Pear Leaf Blister Mite: A common pear leaf issue. Causing the leaves to get yellow or red blisters that end up turning black. The damage usually maintains in just the leaves and should not affect the pears.
How To Fix: Remove leaves.

Harvesting – When to Pick
You need to pick the pears before they’re full ripe. They should be at swollen size, have changed color and will be firm.
Give a nibble to one. It should be sweet but firm.

Popular Varieties
Conference – Perfect for desserts or eating raw.
Concorde –  Large dessert pear.
Onward – Juicy pear with great crops. However, they need to be eaten quick as they do not save well.