Bartlett Pear
How to Enjoy Growing Your Own Bartlett Pear
The yellow and juicy Bartlett Pear is supposed to be the leading pear variety in the United States. Whether you like to eat the pear right away or can it and use it later, the Bartlett is a great choice for any fruit lover. You can enjoy your own home grown pears, if you choose to plant a Bartlett Pear tree in your garden. These trees that grow to a height of 12 to 20 feet are also available in a dwarf variety and can be grown in containers or smaller gardens also. And those who grow the Bartlett are solemn in their contention that there is no comparison between a fresh fruit from your own backyard and even the best of the fruits available in the local market. The plant is known to do well in zones 4 to 9 and so those in those regions can easily try growing their own Bartlett pears.
The Bartlett Pear is a fruit tree that adapts to different kinds of soil. These fruit trees need complete sun exposure, as much as 6-8 hours a day to grow in a healthy manner. This tree has beautiful white flowers in spring and red leaves in fall, both of which are a nice ornamental bonus to have in a tree that bears edible fruits. The fruits usually appear in late summer. During the fruit season, you can also enjoy the deep aroma of juicy pear in your garden. You should plan for a spread of 8 to 12 feet for the growing tree when you plant a Bartlett Pear in your backyard.
You can grow a Bartlett Pear from a seed or a sapling. If you choose to cultivate it from seed, you should be prepared to wait for 5-6 years for the tree to bear fruit. It is advisable to plant the seeds just before winter because that stretch of exposure to cold is needed for germination and in fact if you choose to plant at other times it is recommended that you bag and refrigerate the seeds for a few weeks before planting them. On the other hand, if you are eager to taste your own pears in a shorter time frame you can get a tree from an online nursery or a local retailer. It is best to plant a tree in the middle of spring after ensuring that the last of the frost is gone for the season. Whether you choose to use a seed or a young tree, you have to treat the soil with fertilizer and help the plant establish itself in the new location. Remember to water regularly as these trees are not drought resistant.
While the Bartlett Pear trees do self-pollinate, they are known to bear better fruit if a pollinator is used. Bartlett Pears do not always ripen properly while on the tree. So growers often pick the pears after they mature but while still green and let them come to full ripeness for about 7-10 days before consuming or distributing them.
The Bartlett Pear, which has the scientific name Pyrus communis, is known to bear fruit for up to 75-80 years. Once the tree establishes itself it really takes minimal care. Opinion is divided on whether it needs pruning or not. If you have the space to let it grow wild, you do not need to prune. If you need it to control its spread, you can prune after the growth season in winter or well before the next growing period in early spring. As pears produce flowers and fruits on fresh twigs, it is okay to cut some of the growth from the previous season. Judicious pruning can help increase the fruit output of your Bartlett Pear tree.