How to collect and store pears at home: fresh, for the winter, in the cellar, in the refrigerator

Factors influencing pear ripening

Pears of the same variety may ripen differently in certain years. This is influenced by:

• severe winter frosts;
• late autumn
• abnormally hot summer;
• amount of precipitation and frequency of watering;
• lighting;
• soil composition;
• frequency of feeding;
• the total number of fruits produced on the tree;
• pruning and necessary processing;
• pest invasion and disease.

Thus, yields may be inconsistent even on the same trees.

Attention! It is worth considering that pears of the same variety from the same plot, but having different rootstocks, often ripen at different times.

Pear harvest dates in 2021

Having learned for sure when to collect pears for storage in 2021, everyone will be able to collect the fruits for various purposes, depending on the time of year and even the month. For example, ultra-early, early and mid-ripening varieties that ripen in the summer are suitable for harvesting for the winter, drying and even long-term storage at home. The later ones are not so popular and can only be used for food. Fruits make amazing pies and pies, cakes, fruit teas and even compote. Comparing summer, autumn and winter varieties of pears, one can note the difference not only in use and fruiting time, but also in taste characteristics and volume of value per 100 g of product.

Stages of maturity

There are several stages of maturity, which one is suitable for harvesting depends on their further use. This can be processing, storage, or direct consumption. If you pick fruit at the wrong time, you can even ruin the harvest.

Technical

This is the stage when fruits are ready for processing after picking. This phase is the very first, and the juice yield here is the greatest. The seeds just turn brown. The fruits are quite bland, but still have a taste.

Removable

This stage is spoken of when the growth of the fruit and the concentration of nutrients in it is almost complete. During this period, it easily comes off the branch due to the formation of a cork layer between it and the stalk. The seeds are almost ripe. It is at this stage that the fruit is ready to ripen during storage.

Consumer

At this stage of ripeness, the fruit is ready to eat after picking. They already have the taste, color, pulp density and smell corresponding to the given variety. Nutrients are contained in fruits in maximum quantities.

Full

In this phase, accumulative processes do not occur; there is no starch and useful elements in the fruit. The pulp is not juicy, but loose and mushy. Such fruits can no longer be eaten fresh or processed. The phase of complete physiological ripeness is awaited in order to collect the seeds. In gardening plots, fruits are not allowed to remain on the tree until such a state.

How to determine the stage of maturity

A large number of varieties are harvested at the stage of removable ripeness, and here it is important to establish it correctly. There is no reliable and accurate way to determine the degree of ripeness of fruits. This is relevant in industries where fruits are harvested on an industrial scale. They spend quite a lot of time on harvesting because they do it mainly by hand. If you remove the fruit at the wrong time, you can lose most of the fruit.

There are a number of methods to understand the onset of removable maturity:

• by fruit color, it is compared with the maturity scale developed for each variety;
• a method that allows you to determine the level of starch content using iodine - it changes at different stages of maturity;
• according to the flowering period, but this method cannot be used in the climate of the middle zone due to the variability of the weather;
• by seed color;
• by the condition of the pulp - how strong it is;
• calculation of the temperature required for the maturity of an individual variety in total;
• due to the ratio of dry substances and soluble substances;
• study of statistics of previous years.

By region: harvest time

If we consider fruiting by region of Russia, we cannot fail to note the influence of climate on the survival of a certain variety. For example, central Russia, the Moscow region and the Moscow region, are suitable for the germination of frost-resistant varieties that can cope with annual frosts when the air temperature drops below 25 degrees. Gardeners and vegetable gardeners living in these places prefer to grow mid-season fruit trees that ripen from the beginning of September.

In cold regions where the climate is harsh and unsuitable for most trees, it is recommended to choose early-ripening varieties that ripen in mid-summer. In the Urals and Siberia, the fruits have time to ripen without succumbing to sudden changes in weather. However, so that the tree does not die and continues to delight every year, one should not forget about covering the branches and trunk at a young age.

In the Central and Southern parts of the country, the choice is unlimited! Summer residents can choose any seedling they like according to the description. The most important thing is to remember to take proper care in the first few years. If, after planting, you forget about the fruit tree, the pear will not take root, regardless of the chosen variety: early-ripening, mid-ripening or late-ripening.

When to pick pears

First, determine the area of ​​application of the fruit - immediate consumption, long-term storage or processing. For example, early varieties will not last long, and late varieties should not be eaten immediately after harvest.

Summer and autumn varieties must be collected within a week, winter varieties within two. If the fruits are prone to shedding, then they must be removed as soon as possible.

Attention! Untimely harvesting of pears can deteriorate their quality, affect their keeping quality, and even harm the tree as a whole.

Harvesting time for pears depending on variety

There are about 5 thousand varieties in total, and each has its own ripening period and harvesting period. For example, only winter pears can be stored for a long time.

When to pick summer pears

Summer varieties, as a rule, are ready by August, and their consumer maturity occurs simultaneously with harvest. Farmers harvest their crops several days earlier in order to deliver them to the point of sale. They ripen a little along the way.

It will not be possible to preserve such a pear for the winter after picking; on average, in suitable conditions, they will last a maximum of two weeks. To put summer varieties into processing, the harvest is harvested when the fruits reach technical maturity.

Important! Early pears are characterized by uneven ripening, and harvesting must be carried out in several stages.

When can you harvest autumn pear varieties?

Pears with an average ripening period are divided into early autumn and late autumn. In the first case they have summer properties, in the second they are closer to winter ones. Such fruits ripen from the second half of August to the beginning of October.

The harvest is harvested either at the end of the harvesting stage or at the consumer stage. These stages coincide or are only a few days apart. You can eat such fruits immediately, but it is also possible to preserve them for 1.5-2 months. Fruits at the stage of technical maturity are put into processing.

In the case of late autumn varieties, the crop is harvested in the removable ripeness phase. In order for them to become suitable for fresh consumption, the fruits must sit for about 1 month. Stored for up to 3 months.

When to harvest late pears

Winter varieties of pears should be collected for storage when the fruits enter the phase of removable ripeness. The main thing is to harvest the crop before the first frost, otherwise the shelf life of the fruit will decrease. When stored for 3-4 weeks, such fruits will reach consumer ripeness. Until this moment, they should not be eaten, because they have not yet acquired their varietal taste and aroma. This harvest lasts for up to six months.

Timing for collecting pears for subsequent processing

The preparations are obtained from early summer and autumn varieties. But they must be removed when the technical ripeness phase begins, then the juice content will be maximum. If you collect ripe fruits, during preservation they will lose their shape and attractive appearance, and when making juice and wine they will not be able to release enough moisture. Unripe fruits have no taste or aroma. Technical maturity is precisely characterized by the fact that the fruits are filled with juice as much as possible during harvest, retain their shape and at the same time already have a varietal taste.

When to remove pears for storage

Gardeners rarely store harvested pears in large quantities at home, because not everyone knows how to do it correctly. They need to be handled a little more carefully than apples. Only late autumn and winter varieties are suitable for storage. They are harvested when they reach the stage of removable maturity. The seeds are already colored brown, and all nutrients have accumulated in sufficient quantities. A cork layer is formed between the stalk and the shoot.

Winter pears should be collected for later storage in dry and windless weather. When separating fruits from branches, care must be taken, otherwise you can lose a significant part of the harvest. Even specialists in farming cannot always collect fruits correctly.

Important! Fruits picked up from the ground cannot be stored, even if they look normal.

Signs of fruit ripening

It’s such a shame when I checked it a couple of days ago - the pears were still hard and tough, but now you take them off, and they’re just like cotton wool with brown pulp, which is unpleasant to eat. Such troubles especially occur when growing early ripening and early varieties. How not to miss the moment when the fruits are filled with maximum juice and sweetness, but at the same time retain their characteristic crispness?

The ripeness of pears is determined by several criteria - appearance, taste and average ripening time of a particular variety in a particular region. The weather conditions of the current year also play an important role: air temperature and amount of precipitation. But first things first:

• during the process of fruit ripening, their peel changes its color from green to green-yellow, light yellow, and on some varieties reddish barrels appear;
• ripe pears are easily removed - the stalk is easily separated from the branch;
• when pressed, changes in density are felt, ripe pears lose their former “stony” hardness;
• to be sure, check the seeds of the fruit removed from the tree - they should turn brown or brown;
• and one more external sign characteristic of most varieties - tasty and ripe pears smell very aromatic.

Red side

Easy to break down

Pleasant aroma
The period of selective fruit harvesting can last from three days to a week, but if it is not possible to visit the site every day, it is more rational to harvest the entire harvest as soon as the first pears ripen. Don’t be upset if some of them are still hard - after lying around for a few days, they will definitely ripen.

Some inexperienced gardeners, based on last year's fruit ripening dates, miss the importance of weather influences and inadvertently lose part of the harvest from the tree.

It must be remembered that if it is hot and dry in summer, then the period from flowering to ripening is significantly reduced and, conversely, cool temperatures prolong it.

And even taking into account all the above conditions, pears of the same variety, the same age, but growing in neighboring areas can ripen at different times. In this case, the planting conditions already have an influence - southern or northern location, illumination or density of the garden, fertile, drained soils or heavy, clayey soils with high humidity. But that’s not all; we cannot discount the quality of tree care, including timely feeding, protection from diseases and pests, and rationing of fruit set.

As you can see, there are many conditions that determine the ripening time of pears and it is difficult for a non-professional to calculate them. Therefore, you should trust the varietal characteristics of the tree and determine when the fruits are ripe by external signs.

How to properly remove pears from a tree

When harvesting for subsequent storage or processing, certain rules must be followed:

• fruits cannot be knocked off the tree; on the contrary, they must be protected from blows in every possible way;
• begin to collect from the lower branches, gradually rising;
• the stalk is separated from the branch by slightly rotating the fruit, while your hands should be wearing gloves so as not to damage the natural coating on the fruit;
• collection baskets are usually lined with burlap;
• diseased and damaged fruits are immediately discarded;
• Harvest in the first half of the day, before the fruits are heated by the sun, otherwise they will need to be cooled before being stored.

How to remove pears from a tall tree

Harvesting from the upper branches is usually difficult. Special fruit pickers are used. They can be purchased at gardening stores or made yourself. Gardeners often use a cut plastic bottle attached to a stick for this purpose. It allows you to collect fruits from high branches.

Real reviews

• Maria, 46 years old

There are 6 pear trees growing on the dacha plot. I can’t say for sure which variety they belong to. However, compared to last year, 2021 brought a good harvest. My husband and I were able to collect fruit not only for food and canning, but also for preparing wine drinks: cider, wine.

• Tamara Vasilievna, 59 years old

I got my pear from my mother. The tree has been growing on the site for more than 50 years. I determine when to remove pears for storage by the color and fall of the first fruits. As soon as two or three fruits have fallen off, I completely tear off the fruit tree, setting aside unripe fruits for ripening. In 2021 I hope for a good harvest, since last year was “poor”.

How to store pears

If you follow all storage rules, you can save the harvested crop for six months. There are several ways, everyone can choose their own depending on their capabilities and living conditions.

How to keep pears fresh for a long time

Ideal conditions to preserve pears for the winter:

• temperature from 0 to + 4 °C;
• humidity 85-90%;
• dark room.

Wooden boxes or thick cardboard boxes are suitable. To maintain the required moisture content, the fruits are wrapped in paper and sprinkled with shavings. More than two layers are not allowed; ponytails should be on top. To increase humidity, you can place a container of water nearby.

Storage in sealed cellophane bags is allowed. But it is necessary to equalize the temperature of the fruit, bags and storage room so that condensation does not form.

How to store pears so they ripen

To ripen the pear, it is necessary to store it in a room where the temperature is kept at + 18 °C. The fruits are washed and laid out in one layer so that they do not touch each other. Sunlight should fall on the fruit.

Advice! If you add bananas or apples to the ripening pears, the process will go faster.

Freshly picked fruits can be placed at a temperature of 0 to + 3 °C for a day, so they will ripen faster. Winter varieties removed from the cellar in a month will reach consumer ripeness in 2-4 days.

How to store pears in the refrigerator

Storing pears at home for the winter can be done in the refrigerator. Ventilation holes are made in plastic bags and 1.5-2 kg of fruit are placed in each bag and tied. Fruits will last long enough if the temperature is maintained within + 4 °C. Thus, if there are no other options, you can store pears in the refrigerator.

How to store pears for the winter

In summer cottages, collected pears are stored in the ground in bags. Fruits are packaged in 4-5 kg ​​portions and buried to a depth of approximately 30 cm at the first frost. Storage areas are marked with sticks stuck into the soil. Spruce branches will save you from rodents. The collected fruits can be stored this way for up to several months. The main thing is to make sure that all the fruits are good - one rotten one will spoil all the others in this bag.

How to store winter pears at home

Winter varieties of pears are stored at home on the balcony or in the pantry. The collected fruits are laid out in boxes and sprinkled with sand or foam chips. The main thing during such storage is to ensure that there is access to air and there are no negative temperatures.

How to store pears for the winter in the cellar

You can keep pears fresh for the winter in the cellar. Usually they make racks on which boxes of fruit are placed. Pears should be no lower than 20 cm above the ground. It is recommended to wrap each fruit in paper.

Is it possible to store pears and apples together?

Not all vegetables and fruits can be stored together, because ethylene is released, which speeds up their ripening. The more ripe the fruit, the more gas is released. Pears and apples can be stored together at temperatures ranging from 0 to + 2 ° C and humidity 90-95%. At the same time, the boxes should not contain ripe fruits.

But fruits are not stored together with onions, garlic and potatoes. Vegetables emit a specific smell that pears absorb. The own taste and aroma of the collected fruits are lost.

Collection and storage features of winter pear varieties

We have already mentioned that the storage rules and harvesting times for different varieties are somewhat different from each other. Generally speaking, the basic rules apply to all varieties of pears, however, let's outline a few features :

• Since their ripening period is the longest, the storage conditions must be appropriate. Low temperature, absence of mold and water in storage areas;
• storage is possible without special containers, then they talk about wooden racks on which the pears are laid out at a distance from each other.

Important note: fruits must be stored with their tails facing up!

You may be interested in our publications:

• Detailed description of the pear variety Conference.
• Description and rules for planting the Forest Beauty pear.
• Ripening dates and description of the Lada pear variety.

Fruit harvest time

The surest way to determine when to harvest apples and pears is to count the number of days of ripening indicated in the description of the variety from the beginning of flowering of the tree. Of course, the weather sometimes brings surprises, thereby making its own adjustments, but usually the difference between the expected date of ripening of fruits and their actual ripeness is several days.

Here is a table with harvest dates for some late varieties of pears and apples.

When to remove for storage

Pears are picked unripe and ripen during storage. Thanks to this condition, it is possible to avoid significant damage in the form of rotting.

During inspection, fruits with defects are identified and removed. Only whole ones should be left. They should be firm and dry to the touch. The stalk is not removed.

It is important to harvest in dry, warm weather. Winter varieties should be harvested before frost. Pears that survived frosts of -15 ℃ are not suitable for storage.