How to Grow Pear Trees for Timber

Growing pear trees is simple with proper care.

While many home gardeners grow pear trees for their robust and flavorful fruit, pear trees also have high-quality wood that is commonly used for fine wood-carving projects. Many varieties of pear trees grow well under a wide range of environmental conditions, meaning that in most areas of the US, you can successfully grow a pear tree that produces a large volume of wood to harvest.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Potting soil
• 10-10-10 garden fertilizer
• Shovel
• Paper towel
• Refrigerator

Instructions

Seed Germination

1. Collect pear seeds from the fruits of a healthy tree.

2. Place pear seeds in a damp paper towel and refrigerate for 60 to 90 days. Pear seeds require a period of dormancy, commonly called cold stratification, that mimics the winter conditions in nature.

3. Plant pear seeds in potting soil mixture and place in a location with direct sunlight.

4. Water the seeds frequently to maintain soil moisture for the seed until the seedling appears.

Transplanting the Tree Outdoors

1. Choose a location on your property that has well-drained soil and receives direct sunlight to ensure that your pear tree will grow healthily and rapidly. While pears are some of the most resilient fruit trees, they will not survive well in locations that accumulate standing water, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

2. Prepare the soil by tilling organic compost into the planting area and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root stock of the seedling that you are transplanting. The hole should be large enough to allow the roots to spread freely without being cramped -- 18 inches wide by 18 inches deep is usually adequate for small trees.

3. Plant the pear tree in the early spring, after the risk of frost, to maximize the growing season.

4. Plant the pear tree at the same depth as, or slightly higher than, the soil surface in the potting container.

5. Backfill the planting hole and water with 2 gallons of water once the hole is two-thirds full; allow the water to settle and fill in the rest of the soil.

Caring for Pear Trees

1. Fertilize pear trees once per season to provide nutrients required for healthy development. Use a general garden fertilizer -- a 10-10-10 mixture is recommended by the University of New Hampshire -- and apply it at least 20 inches away from the trunk of the tree to allow the nutrients to soak into the roots.

2. Prune pear trees to promote the growth of the central leader -- the dominant upright stem -- to maximize the amount of quality heartwood for harvesting. Once established, pear trees do not require significant pruning beyond removing suckers that appear near the ground until you are ready to harvest the tree.

3. Monitor your pear tree closely for diseases and pests and treat pear trees promptly when a problem is identified, to prevent damage to the tree.

References

• University of New Hampshire: Growing Pears in the Home Garden
• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Growing Pears in Virginia
• Purdue University: Growing Trees from Seed