How to Grow Pear Fruit Trees
Home gardeners love to grow pears, partially because they are sweet tasting,
and perhaps the easiest fruit tree to grow. Many fruit trees have problems
with insects. Many are highly susceptible to plant diseases. Pears have far
fewer problems with either. They just grow and produce year after year, with
very little fuss or attention.
Pears get far less attention than other fruits, too. Yet, they are sweet
and tasty, and nutritious. Like apples, they are long keepers, if picked
when still green. If kept in a cool location, they will last for months.
Propagation of Pear Trees:
Pears are grown from seed. It takes several years to go from the seedling
stage to a fruit-producing tree. Most people let the garden nurseries start
pear tree seedlings, and nurture them to a size that can be transplanted
to your garden. Trees at your local nursery are a couple of years old. This
small pear tree will still need to grow another 2-4 years to get your first
fruit.
You can also graft branches from a pear tree onto other fruit trees.
Planting Pear Trees:
Select a location in your yard that receives full sun. Dig a deep hole. Add
plenty of decomposed compost, if available. Mix thoroughly with regular garden
soil. If the tree you have bought is inside of a decomposable peat pot, leave
it in the container. It is helpful (but not required) to slit the container
to allow roots to more easily exit the container. While making the slits,
be careful not to cut the roots, as you can do more harm than good. If your
tree is in a burlap bag, remove the bag. Gently spread the roots in the hole
you have dug.
Bury the plant up to where it was in the container. Soak the soil thoroughly.
Add more soil if needed.
How to Grow Pear Trees:
Growing pear trees is easy. Once your new pear tree is planted, it should
grow well with little or no attention. After planting your new pear tree,
we recommend staking the tree in it's first year of life. Strong winds can
bend the young sapling, causing the trunk to grow at an angle. Really strong
winds, might even cause the tree to sway and damage roots.
Tip: Fruit tree fertilizer spikes are a great way to boost the growth
of your new pear tree. The spike slowly releases a fertilizer specifically
formulated for fruit trees.
The size and number of pears is dependent upon a number of things.
Sometimes, mother nature pollinates a profusion of blooms. Sometimes
frost nips a portion of the blooms. However, in a good year, it is possible
that so many pears are on the tree, that the pears grow smaller. Growers
can compensate for this, by removing a few of the baby pears very early in
the season. Should you do this? Probably not in your first few years
of growing, as you do not have the experience to judge if there are too many
baby pears on the tree. But, we do recommend removing any pears that are
damaged by insects, leaving good pears to grow bigger.
Each spring, before buds open, apply a dormant oil fruit tree spray. This
will kill a variety of insects.
Pear trees and their fruit are less susceptible to insects and disease than
many other fruit trees. If you use insect and/or disease sprays, we recommend
you follow the directions on the label carefully. And by all means, wear
protective clothing and a mask when spraying.
More on Insects and Disease
Pruning Pear Trees:
Like other plants, pruning established trees is healthy for them. It
results in a bigger crop. Prune pear trees annually in the early spring,
before the new year's growth begins.
First, remove dead or unhealthy branches and limbs. Top off the main trunk
and any suckers at a height that you can reach the fruit with a ladder. Also
prune in areas where growth is very bushy. This will increase sunlight
and air penetration, to help the overall health and growth of the
tree. You can also prune branches to maintain a shapely looking tree.
More Information:
Buy Pear Trees
Buy Jobe Fruit Tree Spikes
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