How to grow Pear in Australia
Plant in full sun in deep, fertile, well-drained soil sheltered from strong wind at flowering. Water young trees regularly to establish and during fruit development, then mature trees are fairly tolerant.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 15 litres a week, watered every 3 days
- Spacing: 400 cm
- Time to harvest: 1460 days (about 4 years)
- Time to germinate: 1 days
- Soil pH: 6 to 7
- Frost tolerance: Frost hardy
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | Low chill pears only: Hood, Flordahome or a nashi. Williams and Packham need far more winter chill than the Northern Rivers gets. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | Plant bare root Jun to Aug. Nashi and low chill pears (Hood, Flordahome) suit the coast; Williams and Packham need the colder west or the mountains. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | Plant bare root trees Jun to Aug. Pears suit the Hills best; on the plain choose nashi or low chill types and water deeply through summer. |
| Tasmania | June to August | Plant bare-root Jun to Aug. Outstanding in Tasmania. Long-lived and heavy cropping. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Needs winter chill coastal North QLD never gets. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Needs winter chill and dormancy. Darwin has none. |
Varieties
- Williams (Bartlett)
- Packham
- Beurre Bosc
- Nashi (Nijisseiki)
Companion planting
Good companions
Avoid planting near
Harvest and storage
Harvest tip
Pick while still firm, once fruit reaches full size and lifts free with a gentle upward twist. Ripen off the tree, since pears go mealy if left to soften on the branch.
Storage
Ripen on bench after picking. Fridge for 1 to 3 months depending on variety.