How to Grow Pear Trees

'Bartlett' pear (Pyrus communis ‘Bartlett’) is well known for the quality of its large yellow fruit. It's hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 7, but it is susceptible to fire blight, a common bacterial infection of pear trees, so it may not be well suited to areas with the warm, damp springs that encourage the spread of the infection.

'Moonglow' (Pyrus communis ‘Moonglow’) and 'Potomac' (Pyrus communis ‘Potomac’), which are both hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8, are among the cultivars with good resistance to fire blight.

Pear trees can grow well in sites with a range of soil types, but they need well-drained soil. They also need plenty of access to sunlight and do best where they get full sun all day.

Plant full-size varieties 20 to 25 feet apart, and dwarf varieties 12 to 15 feet apart.

In the early spring, dig a planting hole that's as deep as the tree's root ball and wide enough to accommodate the full spread of the tree's roots.

Set the tree in the hole so that the graft where the tree's top growth joins the root stock is 2 to 3 inches above ground level.

Partially fill the hole with soil, and then water with 2 gallons of water.

Finish filling the hole with soil so that it's level with the surface of the ground, with no low point that might collect water around the tree.

Most pear trees are not self-fertile and require cross pollination from a nearby tree, so you may need to plant more than one tree at a time to ensure fruit production. Many popular cultivars will pollinate one another, but 'Bartlett' and 'Seckel' will not. 'Magness,' a blight-resistant variety, will not pollinate other trees, either. 'Seckel' and 'Magness' are both hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8.

Pear trees shouldn't be fertilized at planting, but they may be fertilized two to three weeks after planting with a pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Fertilize in the early spring of subsequent years with enough fertilizer to equal 1/8 pound of nitrogen per year since the tree's planting.

Overfertilization of pear trees will encourage vigorous vegetative growth, and pears that are growing vigorously are especially vulnerable to fire blight. Don't fertilize a tree if it's adding 10 to 12 inches or more of new growth per year. Also use caution when fertilizing turf near pear trees to avoid giving the trees access to too much nitrogen.

Pear trees do best with infrequent, deep watering. Saturate the soil around the tree twice a week during the first two years after planting, but avoid overwatering. Soils with poor drainage may require less frequent irrigation, and more frequent watering may be needed during the hottest part of the summer. Monitor the soil's moisture content to determine whether watering is necessary; if the soil is moist 4 to 6 inches from the base of the tree at a depth of 6 inches, no water is needed.