Growing an Asian Pear Tree

The best time to plant an Asian pear tree is in the autumn and winter if you live where frost is mild. Early spring is good where soils freeze -- as soon as the soil is workable. But you are okay planting them at any time of the year so long as the ground isn't icy.

Select a location to grow your tree in full sun. Dig the hole wider than than deep, but make sure the roots fit easily into the depth of the hole. If the soil is dry in the bottom of the hole, water it.

3

Back fill your hole with soil (mix in amendments now if your soil needs them). Asian pears are not all that fussy about soil so long as it is reasonably nutritious and drains well enough. Tamp in the soil and leave a depression like a moat around the outer edges of the hole to collect water. Allow that water to soak in slowly so it penetrates deeply.

4

Like most fruit trees, the Asian pear needs deep watering. The soil can dry out in the top few inches, but it should remain moist -- not wet -- down to the bottom of the roots.

5

Fruiting branches

Feed your Asian pear with fruit tree fertilizer (either in compressed sticks or loose in packages, or mix your own fertilizers) in the early spring, early summer and late summer. Always under-fertilize rather than risking too much and burning roots.

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Asian pear trees need little pruning, but you should shape your tree lightly during its first few years. Most Asian pears tend to grow taller than wide so allowing a single central shoot is a good form to train your tree to when young. After that, just cut out dead or crossing branches. You may need to stake a young tree for its first year if you live in a wind-prone area.

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These trees can grow so narrow that if you want to plant them only 6 to 10 feet apart, you can grow them as a living wall. This is a great way to design an attractive and productive divider into your landscape.

8

Most varieties except 'Shinko' may develop fireblight. This is a bacterial disease carried by bees in damp, cool spring weather that will turn the ends of branches black and can really damage trees. There is no good cure commercially available so all you can do is try pruning back affected parts at least 5" below the blackened area to healthy wood.

9

Trees tend to become over-laden with fruit, so thin the fruit to just a one or two per cluster. This will produce larger fruit without being too much of a burden on the tree.

10

Asian pears are flavorful, good for fresh eating or cooking, easy to grow and a little bit unusual. They make great trees for the landscape and are beautiful when smothered with white flowers in the spring. The fruits are somewhat more expensive than many other fruits in stores, so there are plenty of good reasons to grow an Asian pear tree!