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Pears are a tasty and juicy fruit that you can grow in your own backyard! It takes time and care for a fruit tree to bloom successfully, but you’ll be able to enjoy food that you’ve grown yourself. From one small pear seed, you can grow a fruitful pear tree you and your family will enjoy taking care of!
Steps
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Collect seeds in early February. Fruit seeds germinate best in the late winter or early spring. By collecting the seeds you want to plant in February, you give yourself enough time to stratify them. Stratification aids in germination and will produce more seedlings. [1] X Research source
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Cut the seeds out of the pear. Store-bought pears will work fine. Using a paring knife, cut a pear in half. Cut the halves into quarters so you can easily access the seeds in the core. Dig out the seeds with a spoon or with your finger. You should find about 8 seeds inside. [2] X Research source
- Each pear is unique due to cross-pollination. If you want to plant more trees in the future that will bear the same fruit, you can store half of the seeds in a plastic bag in your fridge for 2 years.
- You can use pears straight from a pear tree too. Just make sure to harvest them for seeds in the summer when they are ripe.
- Pear seeds should also be available for purchase at your local nursery or garden shop.
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Soak the seeds in a bowl of water overnight. If any seeds float to the top, get rid of them. If they sink to the bottom, they are good to grow. In the morning, remove the seeds. Mix 10 parts water to one part bleach. Soak the seeds in the bleach mixture for 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
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Fill a plastic bag with moist peat moss. Peat moss retains water and moisture and can be purchased at any garden store. Fill a resealable plastic sandwich bag with the moss and mix in water. The moss should be damp, but not waterlogged. [3] X Research source
- Moist potting soil will also work here, but may need to be watered more often than the moss.
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Push the seeds 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) into the moss. Bury at least 4 of the pear seeds in the moss before sealing the bag. The more seeds you place in the moss, the more chance you have at a successful germination. [4] X Research source
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Keep the bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge for up to 3 months. Store the bag in the refrigerator for 60-90 days. This gives the seeds time to chill and start the germination process. The peat moss should hold the moisture through this period, but you may have to check on it every 2 weeks. [5] X Research source
- If the peat moss has dried, use a spray bottle to moisten it again.
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Remove the bag when outdoor temperatures are above 40 °F (4 °C). After 3 months pass, you can remove the seeds from the fridge. If there is no risk of frost or the temperature does not drop below 40 °F (4 °C), you can remove the seeds from the fridge earlier. [6] X Research source
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Soak the seeds in a bowl of warm water for 2 days. The exterior shells of the pear seeds are hard and need to be softened before they are planted into soil. Keep them in the water for 2 full days before removing them. [7] X Research source
- If any of the seeds float while you soak them, they will not grow. Dispose of any seeds that rise to the surface. [8] X Research source
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Fill a plastic cup with potting soil and plant the seeds 1 ⁄ 2 inch (13 mm) deep. Keep the seeds an even distance apart when you plant them. If you are planting 4 seeds, imagine the cup to be a clock and plant the seeds at the 3, 6, 9, and 12 positions. [9] X Research source
- Stick a toothpick next to each seed to mark where each seed is growing.
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Water the seeds and wait 2-3 weeks. Water the seeds until the soil is damp to the touch. Make sure not to overwater the cup or else the seeds will become waterlogged. In 2 or 3 weeks, you should start to notice seedlings through the top of the soil. [10] X Research source
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Keep the cup in a well-lit area. The seedlings should be kept in a bright and warm area, like a windowsill, so they can grow. Remember that the more light a plant gets, the more water the plant will need. [11] X Research source
- If you want to keep the humidity of your seedlings higher, you can loosely cover the cup with plastic wrap. This will help the soil retain its moisture for longer.
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Wait until the seedlings have 4 true leaves. The first “leaves” that you’ll see on your seedlings are cotyledons and not true leaves. True leaves will develop over time and will resemble leaves from a fully grown pear tree. [12] X Research source Once there are at least 4 true leaves on your seedling, they are ready to transplant.
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Transplant the seedlings to individual pots. Use a ruler or transplanting tool to dig the seedlings out from the cup, being sure not to damage their root structure. Once you have unearthed a seedling, put it in a hole slightly larger than the root ball and fill in the topsoil. [13] X Research source
- At this point, you can keep seedlings indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. If there is harsh sunlight, it may be best to keep your plants indoors until they develop further.
- If the seedling grows too big for its pot, you can transfer it to a larger pot so you can still move it indoors or outdoors.
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Plant the seedling in May or June. Seedlings should be put in the ground early in the growing season so their roots have time to establish before winter. Selecting a day in late spring or early summer will give your seedling enough time. [14] X Research source
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Find an area with well-drained soil and 6 hours of sunlight. Well-drained soil and full sunlight will give your pear the best growing conditions. When it rains, check the area for standing water on the surface. If there is puddling, you may want to select a different planting location.
- To test the drainage of your soil, dig a hole 12 inches (0.30 m) wide and 12 inches (0.30 m) deep and fill it with water. Measure the depth of the water each hour. If it drains 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) each hour, the soil is well-draining. [15] X Research source
- Roots spread over time, so keep that in mind as you select a planting location. Keep the tree away from important structures or other plants that will need a sufficient amount of water.
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Plant trees 20 to 25 feet (6.1 to 7.6 m) apart from one another. It’s recommended that you plan to plant 2 pear trees so cross-pollination can occur. If they are full-size trees, both of them could reach up to 40 feet (12 m) in height and will need the space between them.
- Dwarf pear trees should be planted 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 m) apart. [16] X Research source
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Remove roots that encircle the trunk with shears. If you’ve had the seedlings growing in pots, there’s a good chance that some of the roots have started to twist around the trunk. Lay the seedling on its side and use sharp pruning shears to cut woody roots that are wrapping around the trunk. [17] X Research source
- Alternatively, you can try to straighten out the roots by hand if you’re able to.
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Dig a hole 3 inches (7.6 cm) deeper and wider than the root spread. Give extra space for your seedling to grow helps the root system establish. Once you’ve dug the hole, you can fill it back in until the ground is level again. [18] X Research source
- There’s no need to add fertilizer when you plant the seedling, but you can mix in peat moss or compost with the soil if you want. [19] X Research source
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Tie the trunk to a stake. Tying the trunk of the seedling to a wooden stake will help the tree grow straight. Use two stakes and flexible material wrapped in a figure-8 pattern around the trunk. [20] X Research source
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Install a guard around the base of the tree. Small mammals like to chew the bark around the base of a tree, so wrapping a guard around it will add protection. Tree guards can be purchased at any home and garden store. [21] X Research source After the bark starts to get rough or flaky, you can remove the guard. [22] X Research source
- Tree guards also help protect the trunk from sunlight.
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Water the plant once a week for the first year. In the beginning, your tree’s roots will not pull enough water for the tree to survive. Use a slow sprinkler to water your tree in the morning or evening when there is not direct sunlight. As the tree grows, its roots will be able to provide enough for the tree. [23] X Research source
- Check the soil near your tree. If it still feels moist, you shouldn’t water your tree. Overwatering can cause damage as well.
- During a dry season, water your tree more often.
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Fertilize the tree once a year. Use an ammonium nitrate fertilizer in the early spring. You should use 1 ⁄ 8 pound (0.057 kg) of fertilizer multiplied by the age of your tree. This amount may vary depending on how fertile the soil is. [24] X Research source
- If the leaves are a pale green or yellow during summer, use more fertilizer the following year.
- If the tree grows more than 12 inches (0.30 m) in one season, next season use less fertilizer.
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Prune limbs with a sharp pair of shears. When branches break or leaves die, it’s time to prune your tree. Pruning should be done in the early spring right before growing season. Trim off any branches that are diseased or entangled with other branches. Cut as close to the base of the branch as you can. [25] X Research source
- Branches should be 12 inches (0.30 m) apart so fruit can grow across all branches.
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Harvest fruit after 3 years. It will take at least 3 years for your tree to start bearing fruit, but it may take up to 10 years. Pull fruit when it starts to change color while it’s still hard. It will finish ripening as you store it indoors. [26] X Research source
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat is the best time of year to start preparing the seeds?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerPrepare the seeds in late winter or early spring so they have time to stratify before you plant them in the summer.
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QuestionHow long do pear trees live?Community AnswerThey usually live 50 years, although they might have shorter or longer life spans depending on how well cared for they are.
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Questionwhat do we do with the four seeds in the plastic bagCommunity AnswerThey are going to be viable for a few years after opening, so save them for whenever you decide you want to grow more pear trees. No other pear seeds will match this unique cultivar, so that's why you need to save four seeds from every batch.
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Tips
- Plant 2 pear trees at a time, unless there are nearby pear trees beside yours, so the trees can cross-pollinate and bloom. [27] X Research sourceThanks
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Things You’ll Need
- Pear or pear seeds
- Paring knife
- Resealable plastic bag
- Peat moss potting mixture
- Refrigerator
- Spray bottle
- Plastic cup
- Potting soil
- Toothpicks
- Pots
- Shovel
- Pruning shears
- Tree guard
- Fertilizer
References
- ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/pears
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://www.veggiegardener.com/threads/what-are-true-leaves-on-a-vegetable-seedling.1689/
- ↑ https://plantinstructions.com/fruit/how-to-grow-a-pear-tree-from-seeds/
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://www.todayshomeowner.com/diy-soil-drainage-perk-test-for-your-yard/
- ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/pears
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://www.coolgarden.me/growing-a-pear-tree-from-seed-2080/
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ http://www.milliontreesnyc.org/downloads/pdf/How_To_Stake_Tree_GOG2014.pdf
- ↑ http://www.milliontreesnyc.org/downloads/pdf/How_To_Stake_Tree_GOG2014.pdf
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/pears
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-pears
- ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/pears
About This Article
Article Summary
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Growing a pear tree from a seed can take some time, but the reward of tasty, home-grown fruit is well worth it! Start by soaking several seeds in a bowl of water overnight. If the seeds are still sitting at the bottom of the bowl in the morning, they’re good to grow. Fill a bag with peat moss, and push a few seeds 2-3 inches into the moss. Keep the bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge for 3 months, which will give the seeds time to start germinating. After 3 months, soak the seeds in a bowl of warm water for 2 days to soften their shells. Plant whichever seeds don’t float to the top of the bowl in a small container, like a plastic cup. Once they have a few leaves, you can choose the best seedling and plant it in a bigger pot or outside. To learn how to support a pear tree as it grows, read more from our Gardening co-author!
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Reader Success Stories
- "We had had a pear tree in our yard that had very small pears (about the size of a plum), a tree service was clearing trees & shrubbery from the yard & the guy suggested I plant the seeds! Thanks for the step by step instructions that were very easy to understand. I'll plant the seeds of this small pear & then buy a regular sized pear from the grocery store to compare the 2. Thanks for the help!" ..." more
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"We had had a pear tree in our yard that had very small pears (about the size of a plum), a tree service was clearing trees & shrubbery from the yard & the guy suggested I plant the seeds! Thanks for the step by step instructions that were very easy to understand. I'll plant the seeds of this small pear & then buy a regular sized pear from the grocery store to compare the 2. Thanks for the help!"
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"Just knowing that we can use the seeds themselves was encouraging. I eat only organic fruit and wanted to ensure the organic integrity and quality of the fruit trees I intend to nurture."
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"It is wonderful to know I can grow my own fruit trees with great directions laid out for the readers. This is a plus for me as a retired nurse who loves gardening. Thanks a million."
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"I did not know how to germinate the seeds a pear, and this is an easy and complete guide. My grandson is all about planting fruit seeds and having them grow. Thank you. "
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"Great tips. I had to dig up the seeds I'd just potted so I could do it right. God willing they will now grow and produce fruit even if I don't graft. Thanks. "
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