Intro To Pears
History
The pear has been around since pre historic times and was actively cultivated in China in the Yangtze valley over 3000 years ago. There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears out there. There are many different colours and sizes of pears from the round apple like Asian pears used in fresh eating and juicing to the more long waisted European pear varieties used in fresh eating, cooking and juicing to the smaller Perry Pear varieties used for cider.
Grafted Pears
The pears we carry are grafted pears. Grafting pears speeds up the process allowing us to get fruit, from the varieties we want sooner and with better anchorage from pears that are hardier and well rooted.
Planting
Pears appreciate a full sun (at least 6 hours), well drained, deep soil (for European Pears) so make sure you live in an area that doesn’t have a high water table. If you do, Asian pears would be the better option as they have a more shallow root system. Both types like a sunny spot (at least 6 hours), and well drained fertile to sandy soil (for Asian Pears). Pears also appreciate a 2 to 3 inch mulch around the roots but not touching the trunk. You can use a composted bark, compost or even a green mulch such as micro clover, Labrador Violets or Woolly Sunflower to name a few.
Pears can be fertilized with a good all purpose fruit tree fertilizer containing micronutrients or top dressed with compost in spring or fall if you have some available.
Container Planting
Asian pears are a bit more forgiving of soil conditions than European pears and can be kept in a large container for a number of years. The ideal container would be approximately 2 ½ to 3 feet wide and 2 ½ feet deep will excellent drainage and room for companion plantings at the foot of the tree to help cool the soil.
Pollination
All pears require a companion pear who is different variety from them but who blooms at a similar time. Asian pears tend to flower earlier than European pears. When choosing a different variety to pollinate it is best to use 2 different types of Asian pears for similar bloom time or 2 different varieties of European pears for best pollination.
Pear flowers are very low in sugar and are not terribly attractive to most bees. Interestingly it is flies that do most of the work in pollinating pears.
For this reason, when planting your pear trees make sure to plant them near to one another, ideally within 10 feet.
Pruning
Asian Pears
Asian pears tend to have a naturally spreading shape and more flexible branches. They also tend to really produce a lot of fruit so pruning with Asian pears may simply consist of thinning the branches for easy picking and shortening longer bendy branches so they can support the weight of the fruit. You will absolutely need to thin out the fruit on these types (a good problem to have) or the branches will peel off like a banana.
Asian pears are good candidates for horizontal types of Espalier and training techniques and benefit from the additional support when heavy with fruit!
European Pears
European pears tend to reach for the sky so pruning for these types of pears usually consists of Winter dormant pruning to steer the pears when young and to try to encourage more 45 degree angled branching. You may need to use spreaders or even weights to carefully encourage a less vertical habit.
European pears can make excellent upright candelabra or upright fan-type Espaliers.