The Pear Orchard
Picked, and then ripened
Winter
Rest and pruning
- Trees need many hours at cool temperatures to produce fruit buds for
the next season.
- Pruning takes place while trees are resting, keeping them healthy and
allowing sunlight to reach the leaves in spring.
Spring
Blossoms abound
- Pears begin to blossom and bud in April.
- A balance between hot days and cool nights during the growing season
is critical.
Summer
Maturing fruit is monitored
- A series of tests determine harvest maturity of the pears.
- These tests examine the firmness of the flesh, the color, and sugar
content of the fruit.
- A number of pests and disease threats are monitored and handled.
Fall
Harvest by hand
- Pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen successfully on the
tree, so they are harvested when they are fully mature, but still "green,"
or un-ripe.
- Harvest begins in August with Bartletts and continues through September
and October with winter varieties.
- Pears are picked by hand and placed into orchard bins specially designed
to avoid bruising the fruit.
- Pears are immediately placed into cold storage to slow the ripening
process.