How to Grow Pear Trees: A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques

The pear is one of China's three major fruits, with a long history of cultivation in China and an extremely wide distribution range. The pear is also a fruit that people love; it is rich in nutrients, and besides being eaten fresh, it can also be made into many products, making it an important export item for China. So, how do you grow pears?

1. How do you grow pears?

1. Reasonable planting

Choose soil with a deep soil layer, loose and fertile texture, and good drainage for planting. The planting time can be from September to March of the following year, or planting can be done before November. Before planting, dig a planting pit one meter long and one meter wide, then apply sufficient base fertilizer in the pit, and cover with a layer of fine soil before planting. Select saplings that are robust, disease-free, and undamaged for planting. Place them vertically into the planting pit, then mound soil around them, and water thoroughly once. Pay attention to planting density when planting; it should not be too dense, generally with a spacing of 2*3 m between plants and rows.

2. Fertilizer and water management

In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer at planting time, fertilizer must also be applied later. Especially in the early stage, in order to make the pear tree grow quickly, nitrogen fertilizer is often applied to promote the growth of the pear tree. From after flowering to before flower bud differentiation, compound fertilizer should be applied to supplement the nutrients needed for plant growth. Then, during the fruit expansion period, potassium fertilizer and a small amount of phosphorus fertilizer should be applied to make the fruit expand quickly. Pear trees have strong drought tolerance, so generally after each fertilizer application, watering once is enough.

3. Pruning and pollination

In order to make the plant grow vigorously, bloom and bear more fruit, and increase yield, shaping and pruning are necessary. When the young seedling grows to 70 to 80 cm, it should be pruned and shaped. Pruning the buds promotes branching and accelerates the formation of the tree canopy. Once the tree shape has formed, upright, overly dense large branches, water sprouts, diseased and pest-damaged branches, and ineffective branches should be pruned away, while more auxiliary branches should be retained. In addition, to ensure fruit output, in addition to increasing fertilizer during the flowering period, artificial pollination should also be carried out to ensure a high yield.

4. Pest and disease control

Pests and diseases are also one of the reasons affecting pear tree yield. The main diseases of pear trees include powdery mildew, ring rot, and rust. They mainly harm the plant's leaves and fruit, preventing normal growth and development and resulting in fewer flowers and fruits. In severe cases, they cause plant death and total crop loss. The control method is agricultural control combined with chemical pesticide control: disinfect the saplings and soil before planting, and then spray chemical agents for control. The main insect pests of pear trees are aphids, pear psyllids, pear fruit borers, and pear stem sawflies, etc. They suck sap from young tender shoots and leaves or gnaw on plant parts, affecting plant growth and reducing yield. Control likewise combines two methods: before overwintering, clear away weeds and debris around the plant to reduce pest sources, and when the disease occurs, spray pesticides.