Pears

[starbright]

Hi

I have a pear tree in my back garden and last year we got around 30 huge pears, they looked beautiful but they were hard as a brick. I picked some and others fell of the tree, i put them in the fruit bowl but they never ripened they just rotted!!

what can i do this year to get soft juicy pears??

the rabbit loved them last year so they didnt go to waste

many thanks.

ps - this will be the first question of many as i am growing veg this year to.

lisa

[SimonCole]

It depends upon the variety. For example, winter keepers are very hard so that they last into Christmas. Removing any shading leaves may help to encourage ripening.

[terrier]

Wrap your hard pears in newspaper and leave them to ripen in a dark place away from damp (a spare drawer?). It usually dosn't take long for them to soften. I've heard of some people putting a banana in with them to help the ripening but I've never needed to do that. The same applies to end of season green toms. Leave them on the stem (vine) somewhere dark and cool and damp free and every one should ripen.

[nick the grief]

Hi Lisa Welcome to the vine. Simon's right it could be the variety but you pick pears when they are hard and then ripen them in a fruit store ideally, that would sit at about 40f and be dark as terrier says. still if the rabbit likes them you could always fatten that up and have it for Christmas dinner .... only joking

[Alice]

Hello Starbright (love your name) and welcome to the vine. I think it depends what kind of pear you have. Try the advice you have been give. Don't want to be pessimistic but my father in law had a pear tree, produced pears by the ton, but nothing would make those pears ripen. They weren't even edible when cooked. They went in the compost heap by the barrow load. I always got a good supply for feeding the birds through the winter. The blackies loved them - especially when they started to rot.
He had another one which was espaliared on a wall. It ripened beautifully. So I think it does come down to the variety. Good luck with your pears.

[starbright]

thanks guys

[Snadger]

Could it be a quince???

[starbright]

whats a quince?? sorry im new lol