Site selection
Long summer days, cool nights, and a mostly dry season are ideal conditions for growing fruit trees.
Fruit trees require freezing or close to freezing temperatures during the winter, but generally need
at least 150 days between the last spring frost and the first fall frost so that blossoms are not
damaged in spring and so that the fruit will mature in the fall.
Pears do best in areas with full sun and well-drained
soils at least 6 feet deep. The best soils are fertile,
slightly acidic, sandy loam soils, although pears can
tolerate clay or wet soils better than other fruit trees
can. Avoid sandy or shallow soils. Pears are best adapted
to areas with adequate chilling hours for most varieties--600
to 800 hours below 45° F to fully satisfy the chilling
requirement.
Do not plant in low spots or areas that flood frequently. If you are planting on a site where the
soil is shallow because of a hardpan, break through the hardpan when preparing for planting.
Do not plant trees too close together, as this may cause poor growth. |
Avoid
low areas which accumulate water |
