How to keep pears fresh for the winter at home

Preparations for the winter

You can store pears indoors until almost spring if you choose a variety with good shelf life and create an ideal indoor microclimate. It's important to harvest the fruit correctly, use suitable containers, and follow a few recommendations when storing the fruit. The storage area must also have the right microclimate to prevent spoilage.

Selecting a variety

The maximum shelf life of pears directly depends on this. Avoid summer and autumn varieties for long-term storage, as even under favorable conditions, they won't keep for long. Choose late-season varieties; they are best suited for this purpose and have the following characteristics:

Not as sweet and juicy as summer ones. But the flavor improves with age.
They don't spoil for a long time; the minimum shelf life is usually a couple of months. But only if the skin is intact.
The flesh is much denser. Therefore, late-ripening varieties are ideal for any preserves; they retain their shape and flavor when cooked.
It's not recommended to eat them immediately after picking. The fruits are very hard and the flavor is mediocre. But over time, when the skin turns yellow and the surface softens a little, the flavor improves.

Advice!

To determine which variety is growing in your garden, pick the fruit in the second half of September and taste it. If it's still firm and the flesh is slightly tart, you can store the pears indoors or in a cellar.

Long-lasting varieties are divided into three groups, each with its own characteristics and shelf life. Before purchasing seedlings, it's best to check whether the variety is zoned for your region. For pears in the temperate zone, the following varieties are used:

Early winter varieties. They combine excellent flavor with a shelf life of up to late December or mid-January. The most popular are Bera, Elena, Noyabrskaya, Nart, and Kyure.
Mid-winter varieties. Under good conditions and proper preparation, they can last until February or even March, transport well, and are less susceptible to temperature fluctuations. These include Kirghizskaya Zimnyaya, Olivier de Serre, Passe-Crassan, and Saratovka.
Late winter varieties. They keep until May, developing flavor slowly, so they are rarely consumed before the New Year. The most common varieties are Dekanka Zimnyaya, Tikhonovka, Izumrudnaya, Maria, and Izyuminka Kryma.

Different regions may have their own varieties adapted to local climate conditions. They are often grafted onto frost-resistant rootstocks. If there's not enough space for several trees, the easiest way is to graft two or three varieties onto a single plant to ensure fruit production from late fall until the following spring.

General storage recommendations, ideal conditions

No matter where the harvest is stored, it's important to create suitable conditions for its preservation. If recommendations are not followed, winter or autumn pears will ripen too quickly and begin to spoil within a month or two of storage. Always remember the following:

Always place the fruit upside down. Don't just dump them into the container or lay them on their sides.
The room should be darkened. Constant light accelerates ripening significantly, and overripe fruits begin to rot.
Fluctuations in humidity are unacceptable. If it's too high, rotting processes begin, and if it's too low, the pears dry out.
Do not cover the surface with a lid. Use a cloth or other breathable material for this purpose.
Place each fruit individually to avoid damaging it. Cool them before placing them in a cool room, and do not bring them directly from outside, especially during warmer months. At the very least, wait until late evening.
Inspect the fruit at least once a month and remove any that show signs of damage or dark spots.

If you have any doubts about certain fruits when storing, it's best to place them on top to monitor their condition or use them first. Avoid placing them next to potatoes or other root vegetables, as this will adversely affect the flavor.

Pears don't have the waxy coating on their surface like apples, so they store less well and are more sensitive to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Create and maintain the following conditions:

Temperatures from -1 to +1 degrees Celsius. A slight increase in temperature is permitted, but not more than 5 degrees Celsius; this will reduce the shelf life.
Humidity should be between 80 and 90%. Values should not exceed this range, as any deviation will reduce shelf life.
The time frame depends on the variety. Typically, it ranges from 90 to 240 days under ideal indoor conditions.

Apples can also be stored nearby, as they have similar microclimate requirements. It's important to choose varieties that last approximately the same amount of time. Otherwise, there are no restrictions; the two crops don't negatively impact each other.

How to prepare containers

To keep pears fresh over the winter, you need to select and prepare your containers very carefully. Don't just use whatever's on hand; buy or make special containers specifically for this purpose and don't use them anywhere else. It's also important to plan ahead for their placement, especially if you're storing large quantities. Avoid placing them on the floor; at a minimum, use a pallet, or better yet, build shelving.

Remember the recommendations:

Wooden containers are best. They should have gaps, as fruit spoils quickly in solid boxes. Plastic options are not recommended. If you only have a small amount of fruit, you can use low cardboard boxes, replacing them each season.
Dry the container thoroughly. Take it outside on a hot day and leave it there from morning until evening or longer. For disinfection, the easiest way is to fumigate it with a sulfur candle, but you can also buy a disinfectant solution at a hardware store.
Line the bottom with several layers of wrapping paper or newspaper. Dry sawdust, straw, or pre-dried moss can also be used. Close the sides as well, ensuring the fruit skins don't touch the wood.
Place pears in no more than two layers. If you stack more, the weight of the top layer will cause the bottom layer to deform and rot within a month or two.
The boxes are stacked on top of each other with a slight gap. The bottoms should not touch the stems of the fruit; the optimal clearance is 5 cm or more.
When using vacuum bags, carefully place the fruit inside. Then, remove the air and place the bags on shelves or in drawers.
If you're dealing with a small quantity of fruit, wrap each one in newspaper. This will significantly improve shelf life, and spoiled ones will be easy to spot by their damp spots.

Advice!

Avoid placing varieties with different ripening times in the same box. It's best to pre-calibrate and sort the harvest, stacking pears of approximately the same size.

Avoid containers with very large gaps in the bottom. Even with paper, the bottom of the fruit will be damaged by protruding corners. It's best to use additional cardboard. Check all interior surfaces to ensure there are no protruding nails or screws.

How to choose the optimal moment and properly harvest pears

Harvesting must be done carefully, following a number of recommendations. If the harvesting conditions are not met, the remaining steps will not ensure proper preservation. This is an important step, as it determines how long the fruit will remain fresh. Choose the right time for the job:

Harvest when technically ripe. Ripe pears won't keep for long.
The work is most often scheduled for late September or early October. There may be some regional variations, but these are usually not significant, depending on climate conditions.
To check ripeness, pick a few fruits. The stems will come off fairly easily; if they require effort, let the fruit sit on the tree for a while.

With experience, it's easy to tell when to pick pears, even just by their appearance. Typically, the green skin will lighten, but won't brown or begin to yellow. The timing may shift slightly due to late spring or cool summer.

To properly harvest the fruit, there are a number of conditions that must be considered beforehand to avoid damaging the peel and keep it in perfect condition. Be sure to purchase fabric gloves without a polymer coating to minimize damage to the protective layer. Keep the following in mind:

Choose a warm, dry day. Ideally, there should be no precipitation for at least several days before work begins. Avoid starting early in the morning if the dew has not yet dried.
Picking pears Do not use tools, as they will inevitably cause minor damage. Gently grasp the fruit, avoid pressing with your fingers, and gently twist to separate it from the branch.
All stems must be intact. Don't tear or break them, and don't cut them off, as this will affect the shelf life. If a stem breaks, set the pear aside and use it first.
Place items in baskets or boxes so as not to hit the surface. Handle as carefully as possible. A stepladder is best.
After harvesting, sort the fruit. Carefully inspect each fruit individually, setting aside any damaged, bruised, or with broken stems. Sort healthy fruit by size.
Place the berries in prepared boxes, tails up. Line with newspaper, sawdust, or dry straw.

Advice!

Don't wash the fruit, even if the surface appears dusty. This will remove the protective layer, making it difficult to store.

On a warm day, let the harvest cool slightly by leaving it outside until evening. Carry and place boxes or other containers carefully, avoiding impact. Sort all rejected specimens by degree of damage and store them in a pile, but check them more frequently and use them first.

How to store in an apartment

If you don't have a cellar or basement, you can store winter pear varieties indoors. This isn't the best option, as it will reduce the shelf life, but by following a few recommendations, you can achieve good results. All of the methods described are also used as temporary measures, when transporting fruit from the cellar in small batches over the winter.

Fridge

This is only suitable for small volumes, as it's impossible to stack several boxes in it. The best place is the vegetable compartment, where the temperature is no higher than 4 degrees Celsius. It's advisable not to store anything other than pears there. Follow these recommendations:

Pre-chill the fruit for a couple of hours. Don't place it directly from room temperature, as this will cause condensation to form.
Place the vegetables into individual bags, each weighing approximately 1 kg, no more. Make several holes in the plastic bags in different places to allow for air circulation.
Carefully place the container in the refrigerator. Be careful not to crush the fruit when closing the container.
Inspect the contents of the bags once a week. Remove any pears that show any signs of spoilage.

This option is good for temporary storage when you don't want to frequent trips to the basement or cellar to pick pears. You can store pears in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks; it's convenient and prevents the fruit from spoiling too quickly.

Balcony or loggia

If the temperature conditions in this part of the apartment are appropriate, storing pears properly is not difficult. However, it's important to consider the specific structure of the box to prepare it correctly. There are two main methods; you should determine which one is needed in advance and prepare properly. Option one:

On an insulated but unheated balcony, the temperature in winter is usually around 0 degrees Celsius. Use regular crates or cardboard boxes; it's best to wrap the fruit individually in newspaper and sprinkle it with sand or sawdust. Be sure to cover them with a dark but breathable cloth to protect them from light.
During severe cold snaps, there's no need to move the plant indoors. Throwing a blanket or other covering over it will suffice. This will protect it from freezing.

Instead of drawers, build a wooden box with a lid for this purpose. Place cardboard boxes inside to avoid worrying about how to seal them from the light. Another option is a cabinet with shelves, which can hold many more boxes.

If winter temperatures drop below -5 degrees Celsius, it's best to build an insulated structure. Pears will keep well in it until spring, as they're protected from temperature fluctuations. Building a box is easy:

Make the inner part. Choose the size based on the volume of fruit; if there are many, it's better to make two or more. Use a dry board; it's best to sand it before assembly.
The outer element should be larger. Leave a gap of 10 to 15 cm between the drawers on all sides. Cut a sheet of foam at least 100 mm thick for the bottom. Insert the inner element and align it.
The space on the sides is filled with insulation. This can be either sheet material or polyurethane foam.
Make a lid using a piece of foam plastic. Adjust it to fit tightly around the container.

In the ground

A good solution for a garden plot where the groundwater table is at least 2 meters below the surface. If the water table rises higher, this option should not be used due to the risk of flooding. It's best to choose a hill or slope, but not a low-lying area, as moisture can accumulate there during the spring snowmelt. Follow these steps:

Dig a hole 120 to 150 cm deep. Choose the size based on the number of pears you need to preserve. Do this before the first frost.
Make a plank flooring or lay wooden pallets on the bottom. Place the fruit boxes on top of them in 2-3 tiers, leaving at least 50 cm above the ground.
Place a 100mm diameter plastic pipe in the middle to ensure normal air exchange in winter.
Cover with a layer of straw approximately 50 cm thick. Fill with soil, forming a small mound to allow water to drain away rather than seep in. You can add a layer of leaves on top.

Advice!

Use this option only if the pears will be stored until spring. It won't be possible to dig up and harvest some of the harvest in winter.

In such conditions, the fruits preserve well; the main thing is to prepare them properly and remove any damaged ones. If there are a lot of rodents in the area, they may damage some of the harvest. To repel them, line the above-ground parts with pine needles and add fragrant herbs to the straw.

In the cellar

It's important to maintain a cool temperature and not store root vegetables in it. Any type of structure will do, but the key is a stable microclimate and dark areas, with no light. Wooden boxes are the most convenient for storage, so the pears are placed in them first. Here's how to do it:

Disinfect the area 3-4 weeks before planting. The easiest way is to burn a sulfur candle in a confined space. Alternatively, you can use solutions sprayed on all surfaces.
Check the ventilation. If there is none, you will need to ventilate the space daily.
Place the boxes on shelves or pallets, not on the floor. To maintain proper humidity, place a container of sand in the container and add water occasionally.
Be sure to inspect it once a month and remove any fruit that is starting to spoil.

In the sand

In this case, prepare a large amount of dry, clean sand, which must be calcined before use. If it's damp or contains black soil, it cannot be used. This method is suitable for large quantities, as it allows for a large amount of fruit to be stored in a limited space. The following are some considerations:

Disinfect the cellar. Then, lay plastic wrap on the floor, arrange the pears in a single layer, and cover with a cloth. Leave for about a week. Ventilate the room daily.
Place a wooden container, barrel, or other large container. Add a 1 to 2 cm layer of sand to the bottom.
Place the fruit in a single layer, making sure they don't touch each other. Cover with sand. Then add another layer, and so on, all the way to the top.

Remove as needed, picking out excess filler to prevent the layer from becoming too thick. Avoid excessive humidity, as this will cause the sand to become damp and cause rotting.

Freezing

If you don't have room to store pears, you can freeze them. Their dense texture allows the pieces to retain their shape and flavor after defrosting. In this case, it's important to prepare and handle the fruit properly:

Cut into appropriately sized wedges. Place on a cutting board or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle with lemon juice. It will prevent the flesh from darkening.
Place in the freezer, preferably at a temperature below -20.
After freezing, pour into bags or containers and place on a freezer shelf.

This option is ideal for those who frequently use pears in baking; it's convenient to use in small portions and requires no pre-cooking. It can be stored for about a year. Defrost it in the refrigerator to preserve its texture best.

Gardeners' reviews

Olga, Smolensk

We try to harvest winter varieties shortly before the first frost. We store them in large wicker baskets, layering each layer with hardwood shavings. They last until New Year's without a problem, but then we need to sort them more often.

Ivan, Saratov

I wrap each pear in newspaper; that's the only way I can keep the harvest in the basement of a multi-story building for 3-4 months. Other methods didn't work; I don't have any storage space for pears. I store them in plastic vegetable crates.

Anna, Kaliningrad

We tried various options, but burying them in a hole was our favorite. We put them in boxes, generously covered them with straw, and dug in the ground. The microclimate inside is optimal, and there's no need to monitor the temperature.

To preserve pears, create optimal conditions; any deviations will adversely affect the harvest. In an apartment, it's best to use a box on a cool balcony with insulated walls. Always carefully sort through the pears to discard any damaged or wormy ones, otherwise they will spoil the healthy ones.