How to grow Pears

Interested in growing Pears? This comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know about planting and caring for Pear trees.

Pear trees do best in moist, well draining soil with plenty of compost mixed in. 

Plant your Pear tree in a sunny position, sheltered from strong winds. 

Yes, Pear trees are frost tolerant, however their blooms can be affected by spring frost.

Space your Pear trees roughly 6-10m apart, depending on your pruning method. 

Late autumn or early spring is the best time to transplant most dormant plants. Plants, with the exception of bare-root, can be transplanted at anytime between when the ground thaws and when it freezes (so anytime if you are in a frost free climate). However, if transplanting in the heat of summer, you'll need to be diligent in watering and provide extra shade for your plant in the first few weeks after transplanting. 

Dig a hole 2-3 times the width of the root ball. The hole should allow the plant to sit at the same level in the soil as it was previously. Fill the hole with soil ensuring the crown of the plant, where roots and stem meet, is level with the soil surface. 

Plant out in the early morning or evening and/or on an overcast day. Avoid planting at peak sun times or on windy days, this will allow your plants to settle in comfortably and protect them from windburn and sunburn.  

Top-dress the soil around the Pear tree with well-rotted organic matter in spring, along with a balanced organic fertiliser throughout the season. Add a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the tree up to the drip line to retain moisture (be careful not to pile mulch against the tree trunk as this may lead to trunk rot and disease). 

Harvest Pears before they fully ripen. Allow them to ripen indoors under cool temperatures. 

Pests that affect Pear trees include: Aphids, Slug, Snail, Codling Moth, Leafrollers, Pear Psylla, Pear Cankerworm, Ants, Spidermites, Weevil. 

Diseases that affect Pear trees include: Armillaria Root Rot, Blast, Crown and Root Rot, Fire Blight, Scab, Pear Decline. 

Most varieties require at least one other Pear tree to be planted nearby to ensure successful pollination, however some Pears trees are self fertile.

Prune the Pear tree in order to remove old or unproductive wood. Open up the centre to let light and air in by removing any overlapping branches, this will help to prevent disease. Prune in late winter before new buds begin to swell.