When Are Pears Ready To Pick?

Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that, “There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.”

While Mr. Emerson did exaggerate in his assessment of pears, many home fruit growers struggle to find the ideal moment to harvest, eat, and preserve pears.

Pears, depending on the variety and growing zone, start to ripen in mid-summer to early autumn. Unlike most fruit, European pears do not ripen on the tree. Asian pears do ripen nicely on the tree. European pears left on the tree ripen from the inside out. That is why a pear that appears perfectly ripe may be a mushy, mealy-textured disappointment!

Pears should be picked when mature, but not fully ripe. Color and firmness are not good indicators of ripeness. So, when is a pear perfect for picking?

It is quite easy to tell when a pear is ready to pick. Simply take hold of it and tilt it to a horizontal position. If the pear is mature enough to harvest, it will detach from the branch without much effort. If it resists, it is not ready.

Store freshly harvested pears at about 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. They will ripen in about seven days. To ripen them faster, store them in a paper bag to retain the ethylene gas that causes ripening. Ripening can be further hastened by adding an apple or banana to the bag of pears as these fruits release larger amounts of ethylene gas. If you are trying to speed ripening, check the progress frequently as added ethylene gas can cause pears to ripen from the inside out.

Now that you know how to find the perfect time to pick your pears, you just need to decide what to do with the harvest.

Happy gardening!