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Conference pears

I have a conference pear tree in my garden but am never able to know when to pick them. They are either to ripe, (look good on the outside but rotten inside) or not ripe enough and never seem to ripen. Can any one advise me whether there is there a way of telling when these should be picked.

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  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    I am afraid with all pears (I have Concord) that there is only a nano-second when they are edible. This also applies to shop bought ones. Generally, if you can easily remove the pear with a little twist, I would say they are ready; but don't forget last year was truely awful for fruit and was not at all typicalimage

  • ERBERB Posts: 17

    Thank you Artjak. This has been going on for about 10 years and still can't get it right.

  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    Have you thought of juicing them, which can be done with slightly under ripe ones?

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    I pick the pears from my daughter tree while they are still firm.I pick only what I need and put in the fridge to keep for a week.You can store them but they are best picked from the tree when you need them.

  • I've been buying British grown conference pears for weeks now and wondered how they are harvested & stored - given that it must be months since they were picked - so I googled a bit & found lots of info, which I'm sure you'd find useful too.  It seems that pears don't in fact ripen on the tree!

    Whenever I  buy slightly under-ripe fruit, I put it in a bowl with a ripe banana because that always speeds up the ripening process.  Any over-ripe bananas (I prefer to eat them when they're still a bit green at both ends) are then used to make a cake.

  • ERBERB Posts: 17

    Thank you I do pick them when they are still firm but they don't seem to ripen very well. Could try juicing, I have never tried that. I will try again to google and see if I can get any further info. Thank you all for your comments.

  • Pear Trees should be pruned twice a year...

  • ERBERB Posts: 17

    Thanks Stephen I do prune them once a year after all the fruit have been picked. When should they be pruned again.

  • Iv'e read, wrap them in paper check regulaly. Sorry about spelling

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    Conference pears cook brilliantly when a bit firm - lovely in a pear and almond cake, simply stewed pears with yoghurt and muesli for breakfast, or wonderful spiced pickled pears (very easy) to eat with cold meats for C........ image Yuletide, or a pear and walnut crumble with custard ..... I could go on....... and on....... and on.......


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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