How to Keep a Pear Tree Healthy
Choose the best variety of pear tree for you., Plant your pear tree at the right time of year., Consider planting more than one pear tree., Follow the correct planting technique., Water the young tree regularly in dry periods until established.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the best variety of pear tree for you.
Choose a fire blight resistant variety that will thrive in your local climate.
If you plant a pear tree that doesn’t do well in your area, you will most likely have a sick tree on your hands, no matter how well you take care of it.
Remember some pear varieties are better for cooking and some better for eating straight from the tree.
Talk to an employee at your local plant nursery to determine what kind of pear trees thrive best in your area.
When picking out your pear tree, consider what you plan to use the pears for. -
Step 2: Plant your pear tree at the right time of year.
If you purchase bare-root plants then plant them quickly to keep them healthy.
They need to be planted between the late fall and early spring.
If you purchase a pear tree in a container with soil, try to plant the tree in winter if possible. , Ideally you should plant at least two pear trees because they need to be pollinated by another tree in order to bear a good crop of fruit.If you can’t manage to plant more than one then you’ll need to rely on there being another pear tree fairly nearby that can fertilize your own tree.
Try to pick out two different kinds of pear trees; it is beneficial if your pear is pollinated by a different cultivar that flowers at the same time.
Trees will need at least 20 feet (6.1 m) of spacing between them. , To plant the tree in the ground, make a hole the same depth as the roots, but at least twice the diameter.
Place the plant in the planting hole and fill in the soil, eliminating any air pockets.
Gently firm down the soil and water well.
You can add a slow release (granular) fertilizer but avoid other kinds of fertilizers as this will cause damage.
You shouldn’t need to prune your tree the first year but consider fertilizing lightly in the first spring. , It can take a year or two for your tree to become established.
Even established pear trees will appreciate a watering in dry periods.
Try to water deeply at long intervals rather than giving less water at shorter intervals.
As a guide, you should water your tree when the soil feels fairly dry about three inches below the surface of the soil.
Don’t water against the trunk but instead keep the water at the edges of the leaf canopy. -
Step 3: Consider planting more than one pear tree.
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Step 4: Follow the correct planting technique.
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Step 5: Water the young tree regularly in dry periods until established.
Detailed Guide
Choose a fire blight resistant variety that will thrive in your local climate.
If you plant a pear tree that doesn’t do well in your area, you will most likely have a sick tree on your hands, no matter how well you take care of it.
Remember some pear varieties are better for cooking and some better for eating straight from the tree.
Talk to an employee at your local plant nursery to determine what kind of pear trees thrive best in your area.
When picking out your pear tree, consider what you plan to use the pears for.
If you purchase bare-root plants then plant them quickly to keep them healthy.
They need to be planted between the late fall and early spring.
If you purchase a pear tree in a container with soil, try to plant the tree in winter if possible. , Ideally you should plant at least two pear trees because they need to be pollinated by another tree in order to bear a good crop of fruit.If you can’t manage to plant more than one then you’ll need to rely on there being another pear tree fairly nearby that can fertilize your own tree.
Try to pick out two different kinds of pear trees; it is beneficial if your pear is pollinated by a different cultivar that flowers at the same time.
Trees will need at least 20 feet (6.1 m) of spacing between them. , To plant the tree in the ground, make a hole the same depth as the roots, but at least twice the diameter.
Place the plant in the planting hole and fill in the soil, eliminating any air pockets.
Gently firm down the soil and water well.
You can add a slow release (granular) fertilizer but avoid other kinds of fertilizers as this will cause damage.
You shouldn’t need to prune your tree the first year but consider fertilizing lightly in the first spring. , It can take a year or two for your tree to become established.
Even established pear trees will appreciate a watering in dry periods.
Try to water deeply at long intervals rather than giving less water at shorter intervals.
As a guide, you should water your tree when the soil feels fairly dry about three inches below the surface of the soil.
Don’t water against the trunk but instead keep the water at the edges of the leaf canopy.
About the Author
Elizabeth Graham
Writer and educator with a focus on practical hobbies knowledge.
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