How and when to harvest pear trees from the home orchard? is what we are going to answer in this article for the lover of pear.
When determining when indigenous pears are ready to harvest, you may use a variety of human senses.
Your sense of smell or taste will alert you when it’s time to pick Asian varieties of Pyrus pyrifolia.
However, for P. communis, which includes the European varieties “Bosc” and “Anjou,” you’ll have to rely solely on your eyes.
HOW AND WHEN TO HARVEST PEARS FROM THE HOME ORCHARD
Unless you pick them while they’re still hard and let them ripen at room temperature or after cooling, the latter types are inedible.
Read Also: HOW TO PREPARE BLEEDING HEARTS FOR WINTER
If you apply your common sense and create reminders to tell you when the possible harvest window is open, you’ll have the best harvest for either variety.
We’ll go over the best strategies to figure out when and how to pick your homegrown fruits to assist you along the road. Here’s what we’ll talk about:
When Are Asian Pears Ripe?
This cultivar is also known as the “apple pear” because of its taste and texture, which are similar to those of the crisp, sweet fruit.
They reach peak ripeness while still hanging on the branches, just like apples.
Between August and October, depending on which cultivar you’re cultivating, Asian varieties like “Chojuro” and “Shinseiki” will be juicy and ready to eat between August and October.
It’s time to use your nose when the fruits are the size and form you’re looking for. That one is probably ready to pick if the skins smell fresh and fruity.
Look for a shift in colour as well. As they ripen, they’ll turn from green to yellow, hazel, or golden, depending on the cultivar.
Pick one when it’s the correct colour and smells ripe, and eat it! Alternatively, you can cut a sliver with a knife.
Does it have the flavour of a juicy, crispy Asian pear? If you answered yes, you can proceed to choose.
There’s no need to pluck the entire harvest from the tree at once. It’s possible that the harvest window will last up to a month.
Simply keep an eye on the ripe fruit and pick as much as you like before it becomes mushy or acquires a wine-like or fermented flavour.
Read Also: HOW TO GROW BANEBERRY SHRUBS
If they start to fall to the ground, it’s time to harvest the rest, as well as verify that any that have fallen to the ground still smell fruity and have not fermented or rotted if you wish to consume them.
Individual fruits can be loosely wrapped in tissue paper and stored in a ventilated box at a temperature of 32 to 35°F to extend the harvest. The ripe fruit you pick may last one to three months longer under those settings.
Signs That European Pears Are Getting Ready to Pick
“Are my pears ripe?” isn’t the question with European varieties. “Are they ready to pick?” asks the narrator.
To figure out the answer, first, identify whether your cultivar is designed to be harvested in the summer or the winter.
Harvesting mature summer kinds should begin in August or September. “Bartlett,” “Colette,” and “Shenandoah” are a few of these varieties.
They’ll be stiff when you pick them, but after seven to ten days at room temperature, summer varieties will ripen. They don’t need to be kept cold until they’re ready to ripen, but winter varieties do.
“Anjou,” “Bosc,” “Comice,” and “Kieffer” are among the winter varieties.
Every year in September or October, home orchard owners pick them and store them in cold storage (between 32 and 44 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least three weeks before ripening at room temperature.
In our helpful guide, you’ll learn how to store your harvest for optimal freshness and taste.
Take note of any visible indicators that these cultivars are ready to harvest before you pick them.
First, the fruits will mature while still green, reaching full size and taking on the shape that the variety is known for.
“Bartlett” can also change colour from bright green to yellow-green while still being hard.
Keep an eye out for lenticels, which are tiny patches that appear on the skin. They start out white but ultimately turn brown, indicating that the firm fruit is ready to eat.
Most importantly, the full fruit will easily detach from the branches.
When all of the other indicators are present, test one or two of them. Lift them at a straight angle, as if you were knocking on a door.
It’s time to go if they pop right off the stem. Continue reading for harvest instructions!
How to Harvest Pears from the Home Orchard?
Harvesting techniques
Before you start picking Asian kinds, find a padded bucket or line a flat basket or cardboard box with something soft, like a clean fleece blanket, before you start picking. These fruits are prone to bruising.
Individual fruits can be plucked by placing one in the palm of your hand, lifting it a few inches while maintaining the weight, then twisting the stem from the branch with your other hand.
Before picking the next one, carefully place it in the lined container.
Fruits from European varieties are a little rougher because they aren’t yet ripe, and you can place them in a bushel basket or harvest sack as you pick them. However, for prolonged storage, you may need to pack them differently.
Use the same procedure of lifting them horizontally and then levering or twisting the stem from the limb to pick them from the tree. Allow the fruit to ripen for a few more days if it doesn’t detach easily.
Perfect Pear-Picking Techniques
Being able to pick and store the maximum number of fruits from your trees is a “raise your own food” win for me.
Each exquisite fresh nibble, a jar of preserves, or pie will reward the efforts made throughout the harvest window throughout the fall and winter.
Even if your timing wasn’t ideal this time, there’s always next year. Keep up your efforts! Also, feel free to leave any questions or suggestions in the section below.
If this article piqued your interest in learning more about cultivating fruits in a home orchard, check out these pear guides: