We're excited to offer pear trees for the first time as part of our plant sale. These trees were grafted and grown by a nursery in Wisconsin so they are acclimatized to our climate and are varieties that will do well here.
You may not have tried a Minnesota grown pear, but you will not be disappointed. A few years ago I had a Summercrisp Pear from a Minnesota orchard and was blown away by how good it was. Crisp, juicy and sweet. Unfortunately there aren't many place to buy them, which means there's a great opportunity to grow them yourself. Pears are easier to grow organically than apples because they have much less disease and insect pressure. Pears do need a second variety for pollination.
Our pear trees are semi-dwarf and will grow to around 15 feet tall. These will need to be staked (supported) for the first two years. (We do offer metal posts and tree ties for purchase here.) These trees are big! They are 6 to 7 feet tall with multiple branches and are in 10 gallon pots. They will possibly bear a small amount of fruit this year and should produce a nice crop next year. These trees will be available starting Friday, May 10th for pickup at the farm. We are sorry but we are unable to ship trees.
We are offering the following variety of pears this year.
Summercrisp: Has a firm, crisp, texture with a sweet mild flavor. This is my favorite pear! The fruit is best picked slightly underripe while it is still firm and crisp. Ripens mid-August and was bred by the University of Minnesota to be a cold hardy pear for Minnesota.
Bartlett: Bartlett Pear is probably the most popular and well known pear in the U.S. Is cold hardy in Minnesota roughly from Twin Cities and south (Zone 4b). If you live north of the Twin Cities it is borderline if it is cold hardy enough. Ripens mid to late August. Harvest when fully formed but not ripe; pears do better when they ripen off the tree. Bartlett, unlike other pears, is semi self-fertile. It will produce pears without a second variety, but produces more fruit with a second variety.