Gardeners need to know exactly how and when to plant a pear tree in the spring to ensure the seedling takes root in its new location and produces a good harvest. Beginners often make mistakes, but a step-by-step guide and advice from experienced growers can help avoid them.
Planting a pear tree in spring or autumn
The crop can be planted in its permanent location either in spring or fall. In southern regions of Russia, it's best to do this in the fall, approximately 14-20 days before the onset of frost. This is because spring is short-lived here, and seedlings don't take root well in hot conditions.
Gardeners in central Russia often recommend planting pear trees in the fall, as a wide variety of seedlings are available during this period. Furthermore, if you transplant the pear tree outdoors between September and mid-October, while the weather is still warm, it will root before the winter frosts and become resistant to low temperatures. However, if the fall is cold and rainy, it's best to postpone the transplant until the following year. By this time, the seedling will have developed roots and young branches and will be well-prepared for the winter.
In regions with a predominantly cold climate, the procedure is best performed in the spring. This is unsurprising, as low temperatures and strong winds are already recorded in the Urals by early September, while snow falls in Siberia by October. If you plant seedlings during this period, they will die.
Optimal timing for planting pears in spring
If you decide to plant a pear tree in the spring, you need to choose the most suitable month. The procedure can be carried out when the air temperature has stabilized and is above 5°C (41°F). However, it should be done before the buds begin to swell.
This period falls approximately between late March and early April. However, the timing may vary depending on the region where the pear tree is grown:
- southern region – end of the first month of spring;
- central Russia – end of April;
- Siberia, the Urals, Leningrad region – early May.
If you take these deadlines into account, there will be no problems with the plant's survival, it will grow healthy, and fruiting will begin on time.
How to plant a pear tree in spring
If pear trees are planted correctly in the spring, the seedlings will be healthy and produce fruit for a long time. Furthermore, before transplanting, it's important to prepare the site and adhere to the appropriate time schedule.
How to choose a pear seedling
To transplant pear seedlings and ensure they take root, select them from nurseries or specialized garden centers. The specialists who grew them will provide advice on care and planting instructions. Young pears are sold with either a closed root system or an open root system.
In the first case, it is given with a bag or container containing the root ball, which provides protection from drying out and damage. In the second case, you can inspect the condition of the roots.
A careful inspection will help you choose healthy trees. The roots should be developed and not dry or rotten. The bark should be smooth. In the case of a cultivar, there should be a thickening at the bottom of the tree. This is the graft, located 10-15 cm above the root collar.
It's also important to consider the pear's zoning. For example, southern varieties, which produce large, juicy fruits, won't survive even the first winter.
How to preserve a pear tree seedling until spring
After the season ends, gardeners have a wide selection of seedlings to choose from. However, if they were purchased before the onset of frost, pear trees should be planted in the spring, not the summer.
Digging in planting material
This option assumes the tree will be buried in the garden. To do this, you'll need to choose a site that's not windy but has plenty of snow in the winter. For the procedure, you'll need:
- Dig a trench 0.5 m deep, with one side at a 30° slope.
- After this, moisten the soil.
- Tear off the leaves from the seedlings and remove dry branches.
- In order to prevent rotting, it is permissible pear tree processing with a solution of Fundazol at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of liquid.
- Place the trees on a sloping side so that the tops face south, cover the roots and branches with soil up to 2/3 of their length.
- Water and sprinkle again.
The resulting mound should be compacted to prevent winter air from reaching the root system. The tops can be covered with something else. Additionally, care should be taken to protect against rodent infestations. To do this, cover the trench with spruce branches or plastic mesh.
Snowing seedlings
If winter arrives early and the ground is frozen and covered with snow, you can plant the plant directly in the snow. However, before doing so, it's important to pack the roots into a moist potting mix. Moss, sand, or sawdust are all suitable. Soak the mixture in hot water and let it swell. Then drain off any excess moisture.
Sprinkle the cooled material around the root system and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so that the root collar is covered. Take the prepared pear tree outside and cover it with a 15-20 cm layer of snow. Top it with a layer of sawdust to protect it from temperature fluctuations. In the spring, remove the snow and sawdust, and soak the seedlings in a biostimulant solution for 24 hours.
Storage in the basement
Plants can be stored over winter in a basement where the temperature is between 0 and 3°C (32 and 36°F). Before storing, soak the plants in water for 24 hours and treat them with antifungal treatment. Afterward, sprinkle the root system with damp sawdust or fine wood shavings. To reduce evaporation, wrap the roots in a plastic bag and tie it shut. To prevent rats from appearing, leave bait near the seedlings.
The room must be kept cool, otherwise the buds will begin to awaken. Therefore, during warmer weather, it's important to open doors and windows, if available, to allow a cool breeze to enter.
When to plant pear trees in spring
The main rule to follow is that planting should be completed before the pear's growing season begins. The exact timing of the procedure should be determined based on the regional climate. For example, in the south of the country, pears can be planted outdoors as early as mid-spring, while in central Russia, it's mid-April to early May.
In northern regions, the ideal time for planting is late April to early May. Planting is carried out after the snow melts and the ground has warmed to the required temperature. The air should not be cold. For example, shoots begin to grow at 5°C (41°F), while the root system begins at 18°C (64°F).
Choosing a location for a pear orchard
Before choosing a location for your pear tree, keep in mind that it's a heat-loving plant. In the shade, it won't thrive, its foliage will become sparse, and its branches will become bare. The tree especially needs plenty of sunlight during flowering and fruit formation.
Pear trees should be planted on gentle slopes on the side of the garden that receives not only ample sun but also wind protection from a fence or building. In cold climates, the west or southwest side of the plot provides ideal conditions for pear tree development and growth. Planting a pear tree on a north-facing slope will expose it to wind damage, while an east-facing slope risks frost damage. In southern regions, the tree can be placed on a north- or northwest-facing slope.
The plot should have plenty of space—ideally, several cross-pollinating varieties that bloom at roughly the same time should be grown there. Trees should be spaced apart to prevent them from shading each other. Tall varieties are planted at a distance of 3.5-4 meters, with 5-7 meters between rows. For smaller trees, this distance is 1.5-2 meters and 4-5 meters.
Pear trees thrive in almost any soil, with the exception of sandy, gravelly soil. Ideally, they thrive in loose, fertile loams or sandy loams that are well-drained and aerated. Growing pears in poor soil will result in sour fruit and dry flesh, significantly reducing their shelf life. When choosing clay soil, keep in mind that growth will be somewhat slower, fruit production will be reduced, and the tree's lifespan will be shorter.
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A low-lying area with a close groundwater table is a poor choice. If waterlogged, the root system will rot. Furthermore, it will be less able to absorb certain nutrients. The groundwater table should be at least 2 meters below the surface. However, if there is no other option, planting on a ridge will require diversions.
Site preparation
Site preparation should begin in the fall or spring, 14 days before planting outdoors. This is essential because the soil needs to settle. Additionally, the site must be dug over, weeded, and if the soil is acidic, alkalized. This requires 0.5 kg of lime per 1 m². Then, dig planting holes 1 m wide and 0.6-0.7 m deep.
Not every plot of land is suitable for growing crops. But this problem can be solved with proper soil preparation:
- in dense and chernozem soil with a high humus content, river sand or perlite should be added;
- in the case of heavy clay soil, loosening will be necessary, after which a 10 cm layer of drainage will be laid;
- Humus, peat, and black soil can help with poor or clayey soil. Wood ash can also be used.
If you follow these rules, you won't have any problems growing pears.
Fertilizing when planting pear trees in spring
If you need to fertilize the crop, add 3 buckets of humus, 150 g of superphosphate, 100 g of potassium salt, or 500 g of ash to the fertile soil layer. This is enough to fertilize one dug hole.
If your soil is heavy and clayey, you need vermicompost. This will make it looser, conduct heat and water better, and provide it with the necessary nutrients.
Placement of seedlings in the garden: pear height and planting density
When choosing a site for transplanting, it's also important to consider the spacing between pear trees. A pear tree can have a lifespan of 90 years and reach a height of 35 meters. To ensure its full development and growth, it's important to know the appropriate spacing between seedlings:
- low-growing varieties – 5-6 m;
- semi-dwarf – 4 m;
- dwarf – 3 m;
- columnar – 2 m.
Sometimes, if the pear tree has a voluminous crown, this figure should be 7-10 m.
Spring planting of pear seedlings
Before planting bare-root seedlings, soak them in a solution of biopreparations designed to stimulate rooting. Plants with closed root systems should be soaked for 1-2 hours until the soil softens.
When planting, don't bury the seedling completely. The root collar should be 5 cm above the ground. The soil will gradually settle, bringing the root collar level with the soil.
A step-by-step guide on how to plant a pear tree correctly:
- Dig a pit and install a wooden stake 0.8 m long in it.
- Fill the hole with fertile soil to a height of 2/3 of its volume. If you applied fertilizer before planting, add a 7 cm layer of non-fertile soil on top. This will help protect against burns.
- Lower the tree vertically into the pit and straighten out the root system.
- Tie the pear to the peg with twine so that it does not fall.
- Cover with loose fertile soil.
- Add soil and compact it. Be careful not to bury the root collar; it should remain 5 cm above the surface.
- Make a hole around the seedling, fill the edges with a 20 cm layer of soil and pour in 2-3 buckets of liquid.
- Once the water has been absorbed, lay a 10 cm layer of mulch around the entire tree trunk circle.
- After the procedure, it is necessary to start pruning.
Young trees should be covered with white non-woven fabric for a short time after transplanting. This will help them adapt to the new conditions more quickly.
Peculiarities of spring pear planting in different regions
Pear tree planting should be done with consideration for the region's climate. If spring is late, it's best to delay the process—the temperature should be at least 5°C above zero. Otherwise, the young seedlings will die from the cold. However, don't delay—all work should be completed before the plants awaken.
Planting pear trees in the spring in the Moscow region
The Moscow region has a moderate continental climate, characterized by warm summers and cold, snowy winters. In the spring, the soil is moistened by meltwater, and with frequent rainfall in the fall, pear trees don't need frequent watering—they won't die from drought.
Frost-resistant varieties are suitable for this region; they are resistant to temperature fluctuations, diseases, and pests. Even if these trees experience a brief winter freeze, they will quickly recover. They are also resistant to spring frosts because they bloom late.
Plant pear trees in the Moscow region on the southwest side of the garden, protected from the wind. Snow melts in the middle of the first month of spring, and the soil will fully warm up by the first ten days of April and be ready to welcome new "residents."
Spring planting of pear trees in central Russia
In the central regions, spring arrives in late March, when the weather is warm and the snow has completely melted. However, frosts are common even in early April. Therefore, the ideal time to grow pears here is mid- to late April.
Varieties suitable for these regions are those that are resistant to adverse environmental factors. The best location for pear trees is a slightly elevated site, completely sheltered from the north wind, where snow accumulates in winter and warms up quickly in spring.
To plant a seedling, gardeners construct a mound of fertile soil 1 meter wide and 0.5-0.7 meters high. A stake is placed in the center, and the plant is tied to the support, covered with soil up to the root collar, and watered.
Spring planting of pear trees in the Urals and Siberia
In spring, before planting pear seedlings in Siberia and the Urals, they need to be protected from the wind. This is important because the climate in these regions is shaped by Atlantic air currents and Arctic winds, which are detrimental to tree wood. To protect young trees from spring frosts, they should be sprayed with a solution of Epin at a rate of one ampoule per bucket of water.
Gardeners here plant pear trees on a raft. They do this by stacking old, rotting logs at the bottom of a pit, then covering them with fertile soil to form a mound. They water the soil thoroughly to settle it and fill all the empty spaces between the logs.
After this, add more soil and plant. The fruit acts as a barrier against the cold, and most of the root system will be located in warmth.
Peculiarities of spring planting of pears in the southern regions
If you want tasty and sweet fruits, choose southern varieties. But to ensure a bountiful harvest and a long lifespan, follow the planting instructions.
Spring arrives early in southern Russia—temperatures reach 10°C (50°F) in the first ten days of March. Little snow falls during the winter, so the soil lacks moisture reserves. Therefore, it's important to choose varieties that are drought- and heat-resistant.
Trees should be planted in the north or northwest of the area, where there is some shade.
After planting, young crops should be protected from possible recurrent frosts and harmful sunlight by covering them with agrofibre. Frequent watering is also essential.
To grow a healthy pear tree, you need to know how and when to plant it in the spring. It's important to consider the region's climate and care requirements. To avoid mistakes, follow these step-by-step instructions.
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Evgeniya
I planted a pear tree following your recommendations, and I hope it thrives. Thank you for the insightful and helpful article.