We have a relatively new Conference pear tree, and this year it has
produced its first crop - ONE pear. As I've never grown or picked pears
before, what is the best way of finding out if it is ready to be picked
and eaten!

Thanks

Roger T

On 15/09/2022 21:18, Polly@golly wrote:
> We have a relatively new Conference pear tree, and this year it has
> produced its first crop - ONE pear. As I've never grown or picked pears
> before, what is the best way of finding out if it is ready to be picked
> and eaten!

Conferences pears are never ready to be eaten raw in my book.
After poaching in red wine they do become palatable. YMMV

Doyenne du Comice is the one to grow if you want desert pears.

I have a Japanese Nashi pear tree which has pears the shape of apples
but with the aromaticity of quince. It is rather frost sensitive.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 15/09/2022 21:18, Polly@golly wrote:
> We have a relatively new Conference pear tree, and this year it has
> produced its first crop - ONE pear. As I've never grown or picked pears
> before, what is the best way of finding out if it is ready to be picked
> and eaten!
>
> Thanks
>
> Roger T

Conference normally ripens here over the next 3 weeks, its a very good
pear in cooked desserts but I quite like them to just eat.

We either wait for them to fall off or gently lift them - if the come
off they are ready, if you prefer a soft pear keep them a day or so
before eating.

one word of warning, the gap between being ripe and going rotten in the
middle is very short which is why pear growers don't rate them

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

Thanks you, I'm used to the technique for apples, but as this is a
first, wanted to make sure, otherwise the boss will nag me again!

I do like conferrence pears, solid and juicy, not like some of the other
floppy/soppy pears you can get.

On 16/09/2022 11:08, Charlie Pridham wrote:
> On 15/09/2022 21:18, Polly@golly wrote:
>> We have a relatively new Conference pear tree, and this year it has
>> produced its first crop - ONE pear. As I've never grown or picked
>> pears before, what is the best way of finding out if it is ready to be
>> picked and eaten!
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Roger T
>
> Conference normally ripens here over the next 3 weeks, its a very good
> pear in cooked desserts but I quite like them to just eat.
>
> We either wait for them to fall off or gently lift them - if the come
> off they are ready, if you prefer a soft pear keep them a day or so
> before eating.
>
> one word of warning, the gap between being ripe and going rotten in the
> middle is very short which is why pear growers don't rate them
>

On Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 10:15:22 AM UTC+1, Polly@golly wrote:
> Thanks you, I'm used to the technique for apples, but as this is a
> first, wanted to make sure, otherwise the boss will nag me again!
>
> I do like conferrence pears, solid and juicy, not like some of the other
> floppy/soppy pears you can get.
> On 16/09/2022 11:08, Charlie Pridham wrote:
> > On 15/09/2022 21:18, Polly@golly wrote:
> >> We have a relatively new Conference pear tree, and this year it has
> >> produced its first crop - ONE pear. As I've never grown or picked
> >> pears before, what is the best way of finding out if it is ready to be
> >> picked and eaten!
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >> Roger T
> >
> > Conference normally ripens here over the next 3 weeks, its a very good
> > pear in cooked desserts but I quite like them to just eat.
> >
> > We either wait for them to fall off or gently lift them - if the come
> > off they are ready, if you prefer a soft pear keep them a day or so
> > before eating.
> >
> > one word of warning, the gap between being ripe and going rotten in the
> > middle is very short which is why pear growers don't rate them
> >

IME they crop well very two years