Pear
Pyrus communis
A fruit, planted at any time of year.
In September: pick the pears and summer-prune a trained pear. It can be planted now.
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Pear, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown pear. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root pear. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Thin the spurs on the pear. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Winter-prune the pear (free-standing plants only). | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Thin the fruit on the pear. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none |
| Summer-prune the pear (trained plants only). | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
| Pick the pears. | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual |
| Prune the roots of the pear (only for a tree that grows strongly and fruits poorly). | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown pear at any time of year, 2.5 to 5.5m apart. Strong source: RHS.
Plant a bare-root pear November to March, 2.5 to 5.5m apart. Strong source: RHS.
Thin the spurs on the pear
On older trees, thin crowded spurs (short stubby fruiting shoots) to 10 to 15cm apart.
Usually November to March. Moderate source: RHS.
Winter-prune the pear
Gardeners call this winter pruning of free-standing apples and pears.
For free-standing plants only.
Take out about 10 to 20 per cent of the canopy; pruning harder brings a mass of upright shoots.
Usually November to March. Strong source: RHS.
Thin the fruit on the pear
Leave two fruits per cluster, 10 to 15cm apart; on trained trees, one per cluster.
Usually June to July. Strong source: RHS.
Summer-prune the pear
Gardeners call this summer pruning of restricted-form apples and pears.
For trained plants only.
Cut new shoots over 20cm long back to three leaves above the cluster of leaves at their base.
Usually July to September. Strong source: RHS.
Pick the pears
Usually August to October. Strong source: RHS.
Prune the roots of the pear
Only for a tree that grows strongly and fruits poorly.
Dig a trench about 90cm across around the tree, then cut through about half the thick roots.
Usually December to March. Thin source: Pomona Fruits.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.Thin: only a page that lists it.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Pear” comes from.