5 Good Reasons to Grow a Pear Tree

Every Cottage Garden should include a pear tree. Gardeners love to grow pears, partially because they are sweet, tasty and nutritious. Pears get far less attention than other fruits, too. Yet, they are  like apples, they are long keepers, if picked when still green. If kept in a cool location, they will last for months.  Pears never last in my house; they are either eaten or canned as jam.

 

 

 

 

There are five very good reasons listed below why you should plant a pear tree in your garden.

 

1.  Pear trees are good growers and perhaps the easiest fruit tree to grow.

2.  Pear trees are abundant producers.

3.  Pears have far fewer problems than most fruit trees. hey just grow and produce year after year, with very little fuss or attention.

4. Fall pears are packed with flavor and makes the best home made jam you will never buy another jar from the store again.

5. Pear trees are beautiful bloomers in the Spring. 



Planting Pear Trees:

Pear trees can be planted in the fall, winter or spring 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 its 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.

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.

 

Countryside Pear Jam Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped, peeled pears
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preparation:

How to make countryside pear preserves:
Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and bring them to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat slightly, and simmer the jam, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Remove the pear jam from the heat and skim off the foam with a clean spoon. Ladle the jam into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headroom. Wipe the rims with a clean towel, seal, and process in a boiling water canner for 10 to 11 minutes.
Allow the jar to cool on a clean towel and check the seals before storing the jam in a cool, dark place.
This countryside pear jam recipe makes 6 half-pints.

Tags: pears, fruit trees, garden, planting, canning, jam,