"Growing Pear Trees" Growing Pear trees: Pears are closely related to apples but a pear tree will live and produce fruit for around 100 years or more whereas the lifespan of a fruiting apple tree is about fifty years. (Find out about growing apples on this page: Apple Trees )Growing pear trees in your garden is pretty straightforward and as long as conditions are favourable, the tree will produce fruit for many years. Choose a tree that you can train like an apple tree - into a fan shape or a small round ball. These trained orchard trees will be easier to keep maintained and also easier to harvest the fruit. Also, check that your tree is self-pollinating, or you may have to buy another one, planted close by, to produce fruit. ************************************
A bright sunny position will also be good for your fruit to develop. A heavy soil is better for growing pear trees than a light or sandy soil. Dig a large hole and mix well rotted compost with the soil you will be putting back into the hole. Make sure the compost is well rotted. Raw manure will burn the roots of your tree. Plant your tree with the grafted part about 4-6inches (10-15cm) above the ground. Firm down well, and water. Training trees will require strong wires to tie individual branches to, and you will need a sharp pair of secateurs of other cutting tool to prune efficiently without damaging your tree.  Growing Pear Trees - Care and Maintenance: In colder climates, protect the tree with a fleece when it starts to blossom. The frost can damage the flowers and reduce the crop. Also birds love the young pear buds, so you may need to protect the tree against bird attacks for some time until the pears are well established.Keep weed-free and well watered during summer months. Fruit trees don't tolerate drought conditions and will need regular watering in dry weather. They are, however, quite good at resisting bugs and diseases.
Harvesting: Collect any fallen fruits immediately, as they could be diseased or have pests living in them. Check over the fruit you collect as some will be usable. Many fruits are simply windfalls and can be cooked in tarts and pies and cut up and mixed with other fruits for a tasty summer fruit salad.When the fruit can be twisted gently and removed from the tree, it is ready to pick. Collect by hand and don't let them fall if you can possibly help it, as they will bruise and won't store for so long. Pears can be stored for a while if kept dry and in a dark place away from direct sunlight and mice! Wrap individual fruits in paper and keep in cardboard or wooden trays. Happy Gardening! #divider Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions. ("The beautiful picture on the front of this book is mouthwateringly delicious, and there's more about growing pear trees inside!")  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Fruit Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growing-pear-trees.html |
Nature Hills have a few varieties for deliveries in the US. This page takes you directly to their selection of pears. 
and in the UK Crocus have a number of tasty varieties. Choose 'plants' from their homepage, then click on 'fruit'.
