If you have been thinking of having a pear tree in your yard, then you're heading down the right path toward raising some seriously "pear-fect" fruit.
Let me walk you through the ups and downs of cultivating pears along the Gulf Coast, where summers seem long enough to wonder if you took the wrong turn somewhere in life — like when you find yourself out in that blistering sun, watering your trees. By the end of this journey, at your fingertips will be all knowledge you need to grow perfect pears, keeping pear trees happy and healthy, and maybe even impress your neighbors with your pear-preserving skills. So let's get to the root of it all and find out how you can turn your backyard into a pear-adise.
Several pear varieties thrive in the Gulf Coast's warm climate. Here, we'll focus on two main types: Asian pears (also known as hard pears) and soft pears (also known as European pears). Each type has unique characteristics, making them suitable for different uses and growing conditions.
Asian pears, commonly referred to as sand pears in the South. These pears are more round, crisp, juicy and firm.
Asian pears typically require 100-400 chill hours, making them well-suited to the Gulf Coast's climate. This relatively low chill requirement ensures that they will reliably produce fruit even in years when the winter is warmer than usual.
Asian pears are incredibly versatile. Their firm texture makes them excellent for canning and cooking, as they hold up well under heat. This firmness also contributes to their long shelf life, making them ideal for storing and enjoying over an extended period. They can be used for fresh eating and cooking. Asian pears are particularly well-suited for canning because they maintain their shape and texture during the cooking process.
Most Asian pear varieties are partially self-pollinating, meaning they can produce fruit on their own but will yield better crops when cross-pollinated with another pear variety.
Soft pears are what most people think of when they picture a traditional pear, such as a bartlett pear. These pears are tender, juicy and sweet when ripe with a buttery texture that makes them ideal for fresh eating.
Soft pears generally require more chill hours than Asian pears, often between 600-800 hours. However, some low-chill varieties have been developed specifically for warmer climates, making them more suitable for the Gulf Coast.
There are also multiple hybrid varieties created by breeding hard and soft pears together to achieve a softer and longer lasting pear by combining traits of both.
Soft pears are perfect for fresh eating with a thin skin and soft flesh.
Most soft pear varieties require cross-pollination with another compatible pear variety to set fruit. Planting more than one in close proximity can help ensure good fruit production.
Here are a few of my favorite low chill pear tree varieties that produce exceptionally on the Gulf Coast:
Keiffer: This is an old, hybrid variety. It is a mass-producing southern classic and probably among the most common you'll find on the older, larger pear trees. A cross of a Bartlett soft pear and an Asian pear, this pear is firm but like a soft pear; it has to be ripened off of the tree.
Baldwin: This is a hybrid variety of semi-hard, sweet pears. The pears are of medium size and yellow. They are moderately blight and spot resistant. They do very well in a hot humid climate. These are perfect for Baldwin County, and they will ripen on the tree.
Shinseiki: This Asian variety that most folks refer to as an apple pear due to its appearance. These are pale yellow with a crisp, sweet flavor that has a little tartness. The Shinseiki pears are said by many to taste like a Granny Smith apple and are great for canning or baking with a long shelf life. These will ripen on the tree.
Flordahome: This hybrid pear is large, has semi-firm fruit with green skin and a smooth-textured, sweet flavor with melting texture. Great for fresh eating, cooking or canning. These will ripen on the tree.
Moonglow: A soft pear type that produces a heavy crop of large, thin-skinned, yellow pears blushed red. Their white flesh is soft and juicy with excellent flavor. They do well for fresh eating and cooking. They have a great blight resistance and must be cured and ripen off the tree.
Others: Hood pear, sugar pear and pineapple pear.
The warm, humid climate of the Gulf Coast provides ideal conditions for a multitude of pests and diseases that can cause irreparable damage to pear trees. Knowing how to identify and fight them is critical to health trees with a bountiful harvest.
Fire blight cause: Fire blight is caused by the bacterium 'Erwinia amylovora.' This is an extremely serious disease of pears that causes the blossoms, leaves and shoots to blacken and wither on the tree, generally with a scorched appearance.
Symptoms: The tips of branches are black, shoots are wilted, and cankers on the branches may ooze a sticky, amber-colored substance.
Prevention and treatment: To prevent fire blight, prune out diseased areas at least 12 inches below the visible infection during the dormant season. Sterilize pruning tools between cuts. Avoid over-nitrogen fertilization, which promotes very rapid and thus very susceptible growth. Applications of copper-based fungicides before and during bloom can help to reduce disease spread.
Pear leaf spot cause: This disease is caused by the fungus Fabraea maculata and affects leaves and fruit.
Symptoms: Small, dark, water-soaked spots appear on the leaves, enlarge and bring about premature defoliation. On fruit, the blemishes may cause deforming.
Control and treatment: Part of good sanitation includes the removal of fallen leaves and fruit that become infected. Application by spraying fungicides may be necessary for the growing season. This is particularly true in rainy and wet weather. Proper pruning will enhance the air circulation and humidity around the tree.
Scale insects types: Some scale insects, notably San Jose scale and pear psylla, are a problem to pear trees.
Symptoms: These small, scale-like insects settle on the bark, leaves or fruit and start sucking out their juices, gradually turning parts of trees yellow and stunted in growth, which may lead to death.
Prevention and treatment: Monitoring regularly and performing early detection can greatly help in controlling scale insects. Applications of dormant oil sprays during late winter will kill overwintering scales. In severe cases, insecticides might be necessary during the growing season.
Planting site selection: Choose a location with well-drained soil and full sun. Pears grow best in slightly acid to neutral soils ranging from 6.0-7.0 in pH. Avoid planting trees in locations where water will collect around the roots of the trees; standing water often causes root rot.
Planting time: The best times for the planting of pear trees in the Gulf Coast area are during the fall season or spring.
Spacing: Plant trees 15-20 feet apart to provide enough space for growth and good circulation.
Water: Pear trees prefer consistent moisture especially during their first few years. Water deeply once a week. You may need to increase the frequency during hot dry periods. Water at the base of the tree to avoid wetting the leaves which can lead to fungal issues.
Fertilization: Use a balanced fertilizer like 14-14-14 in the early spring before new growth begins. Fertilize annually, but avoid over-fertilization since it provokes an overgrowth of vegetation with less fruiting.
Soil testing: Test your soil to determine the soil's needs regarding nutrient supply.
Pruning timing: Prune pear trees during the dormant season, late winter, for tree shaping and removal of dead, diseased or crossing branches.
Method: For most pear trees, an open center or central leader shape works best. Proper pruning not only allows for more air and light to circulate and enter the interior part of the tree but also improves overall fruit quality.
Suckers and water sprouts: Suckers are shoots that grow from the rootstock/base of the tree. It can sometimes look like it's growing out of the ground around the base. Water sprouts are vigorous branches that shoot straight up. They should be removed since they take a lot of energy away from the rest of the tree and do not produce fruit.
Tip: Never prune more than 30% of your tree. Excessive pruning will lead to more water sprouts. Over-pruning fruit trees can also cause your tree stress, causing it to not bare fruit the following year or years after.
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Pears are unlike most other fruits in that they are generally harvested when mature but still fairly hard, and some get better when left to ripen off the tree. This helps them have less of a mealy and gritty texture.
Harvest time: Late summer is the typical harvest season for Asian pears on the Gulf Coast.
Ripeness indicators: The Asian varieties can be picked when they are firm — not hard — with some color change from green to yellow. Check at the stem end for just a slight softening, and gently tug on the pear. They should come off the tree readily. If they need a good pull to come off the tree, they aren't ready.
These pears can ripen on the tree, but avoid letting them get soft and overripe. If they are left on the tree for too long, becoming overripe, it will bring out the gritty mealy texture. Looking for a slight color change is the best indicator.
Storage after harvest: Store Asian pears in a cool, dark place where they will continue to ripen. Since the texture of this variety is firm, they can be kept for a long time without loss of quality. These pears require no cure time.
Time of harvest: Soft pears are harvested late summer to early fall mainly.
Ripeness indicators: Soft pears need to be picked when they are mature and firm. They need to ripen off the tree and to become soft, sweet and juicy.
Allow them to cure in a cool, dark space for three-seven days, or until you feel some softness around the neck of the pear when pressed. This is when they'll achieve a soft, buttery texture. Soft pears that have not been cured/ripened off the tree will have a gritty texture and are pretty flavorless.
After harvest: Soft pears have a more limited storage life than Asian pears. They should be used or processed within several weeks after ripening and are excellent for fresh use.
Pollination: Pear trees will attract the very pollinators, such as bees, that your other garden plants and trees require to pollinate themselves. More pollinators means more fruit.
Shade and aesthetics: Pear trees will provide shade and beautify your landscape. Their blossoms in spring are beautiful.
Erosion control: Pear tree roots bind soils, making it a great tree to plant to help combat erosion.
Whether you're ready to plant that tree or just happy to have learned a few new things, you're now equipped with everything you need to make a pear-fect decision. Imagine, one day soon, you could be pear-enting a tree that produces baskets of juicy, delicious fruit while your neighbors wonder how you became such a gardening whiz. And who knows? Maybe you'll even start a new trend in the neighborhood — because let's be honest, who wouldn't want a pear-sonal supply of fresh pears? Here's to a fruitful future, sweet successes and the possibility of a new pear tree taking root in your garden!
Photos provided courtesy of Kitti Cooper.
