The pear tree is considered a symbol of good luck in many cultures. But above all, ripe pears are healthy and tasty. How do you know if pears are ripe and when you can harvest them?
To the point
- Ripeness depends on variety
- Weather affects ripening time
- Harvest between July and November
- only harvest fruits that can be easily separated from the stem
- Fragrance and color as signs of maturity
Table of contents
- Harvest pears
- Summer pears
- Autumn pears
- Winter pears
- Harvest ripeness indicator
- frequently asked Questions
Harvest pears
Pears are usually harvested between July and the end of November. The ripening time is influenced by:
- the weather in summer
- the variety
Pears are divided into summer, autumn and winter pears according to their ripeness for consumption.
Summer pears
Summer pears are sweet and juicy. They do not have a long shelf life and must be consumed immediately after picking.
- Butter pear: Ready to pick and enjoy from the end of July to the beginning of August
- Clapp's favorite: Ready to pick and enjoy from the beginning of August
- Williams Christ: Ready to pick and enjoy from mid-August
Autumn pears
Autumn pears can be stored for a short time.
- Conference: Ready to pick and enjoy from September
- Nashi: Ready to pick and enjoy from the end of August to the beginning of September
- Emperor Alexander: Ready to pick and enjoy from September to the end of October
- Delicacies of Charneux: ready to pick and enjoy October to November; also called mayor's pear
- Triumph of Vienne: Ready to pick and enjoy from September
- Princess Marianne: Ready to pick and enjoy from September
If the summer months are rainy, pears ripen later.
Winter pears
Winter pears can be stored. They are harvested when they are still firm. Only after a few weeks of storage do they become softer and achieve their popular aroma.
- Alexander Lucas: Ready to pick from September, ready to eat from October/November
- Good Luise: Ready to pick from the end of September, ready to eat from the end of October
- Club dean's bulb: Ready to pick from September, ready to eat from November
- Joan of Arc: Ready to pick from September, ready to eat from November
Harvest ripeness indicator
1. Color
An important sign of maturity is the achievement of the color typical of the variety.
2. Detachability from the stem
Pears are only ready to harvest when they are easy to pick. Do the ripeness test: turn the pear carefully. When it simply separates from the stem, it is ready to harvest. However, if the stem breaks when turning, you should let the pears ripen on the tree a little longer.
3. Fragrance
Ripe pears have a pleasant, aromatic smell. Unripe pears, on the other hand, hardly have any smell.
frequently asked Questions
The pears in the sunniest places ripen faster than the fruit in the shady areas of the tree. Often fully ripe red-yellow pears fall while others are still green. Simply harvest in stages.
You should be very careful when picking winter pears that can be stored. The fruits begin to rot at the pressure points. Store the pears in a cool place at around five degrees Celsius. Do not place the fruits on top of each other. Wooden crates lined with paper are perfect. To protect against pressure points, we recommend padding the space between the fruits with paper. If possible, avoid storing them next to other types of fruit.
Pears ripen quickly at room temperature. This works even better if you store pears next to apples. Apples emit ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process of other fruits.
Scab disease often affects young pear trees. The pathogen is a fungus that overwinters in fallen leaves. To prevent this, always completely remove fallen leaves from fruit trees. For new plantings, choose scab-resistant varieties.
