How do you know when to pick your pears?

[MollyAir]

I have loads of pears this year, but they are still rock hard. They are beginning to fall, however. Is anyone experienced in the art of pear-picking please?

Isn't it like with apples where if you twist the fruit a couple of times and it comes loose, it's ripe. If not, wait a bit longer.

Thanks - I did do that with one today; it did come loose but is still rock hard. Do I just leave it in the bowl to ripen now?

Yes. The trouble with pears is they soften from the inside so it's tricky to tell when they're just right to eat. I'd try leaving a day or two at room temperature, then give it a go. Good luck.

That's exactly it! If I leave them too long they turn to mush.

They will be rock hard until you pop out for five minutes and when you come back they will be overripe and yuck. It is the law of pear.

Gahhhhh.............

I heard that with pears, you are supposed to pick them earlier than with apples and let them ripen inside. So, before they come off in your hand when you twist.

I have yet to get it right.

That's interesting Rhubarb

I just picked one straight off the tree and ate it. It was yum. That is a rare event though. The wasps are getting high on the fallers.

Ooh I picked hem before they seem quite ripe?!

Right, I am going in today. Previously, my pear tree has had 3 fruit, max, (and they were usually scabby), so it wasn't really a decision I had to make. But this year - loads! And some are blush, some are green - I've only noticed this year that it's a tree with 2 varieties grafted on!

Molly - are you going to pick more? All at once, or in dribs and drabs?

I ate a faller for breakfast - had to brush a wasp off...I'm going out now for more...Not all at once: I'll feel and twist.

I felt and twisted a whole load that I could reach, and just picked the one which came off in my hands. Then I ate it. It was perfect. So looks like it'll be a daily activity.

Yum. I wonder how long they'll be pickable for?

I've had a very fruity day (fnarr fnarr). Inspired by you, I picked a couple of pears from each side - so green ones, and blush ones. I've not eaten them yet. Oddly, my tree has both the most ever pears, and its worst case of scab.

Then I went to the allotment and picked my first apples. Then I went blackberrying, and picked wild plums. Getting my 5 a day will be no problem for the foreseeable. Even if it is mainly crumble or jam format.

Oh, also picked some sloes and elderberries.

It's the 5 seconds between them being hard enough to use as ballistic missiles, and them being so overripe you have to fight the wasps for them. I grew up with peer trees and it's a very fine balance!

What will you do with the elderberries, Zebra? I want a black elderberry one day.

I'm competing for my pears with squirrels, pigeons, a jay, and a very mighty flock of green parakeets, so we'll see how many I get. I have hung toy snakes in the branches in the hope that green parakeets are afraid of snakes.