Growing a pear tree from seed is a long-term project that offers the unique reward of raising a tree from its earliest beginning. This process is a commitment to several years of care before the tree yields fruit. The journey requires patience and an understanding of the pear seed’s natural cycle, particularly its need for a cold, dormant period to prepare for germination.
Seed Preparation and Cold Stratification
To begin, collect seeds from ripe pears. Carefully cut the fruit to extract the seeds from the core, avoiding damage. Soak the seeds in water overnight, discarding any that float, as they are not viable for planting.
Once you have removed any remaining pulp, pat the seeds dry and prepare them for cold stratification. This process simulates the winter conditions required to break the seed’s natural dormancy. Pear seeds need this cold, moist period to trigger germination, preventing premature sprouting during warm spells.
Achieve cold stratification by placing the seeds in a sealed plastic bag with a moist medium, such as peat moss, sand, or a damp paper towel. The medium should be damp but not saturated, as excess moisture can lead to mold or rot. Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer, ideally between 35 and 45°F (2 to 7°C).
This chilling period should last approximately 60 to 100 days. Check the medium every two weeks to ensure it remains moist, adding water if it begins to dry out. If seeds sprout small roots while refrigerated, the stratification process has successfully prepared them for planting.
Sowing the Seeds and Initial Seedling Care
After the required period of cold stratification, the seeds are ready to be sown, typically in late winter or early spring. Start the seeds indoors in small pots filled with a well-draining potting mix, avoiding dense garden soil. Plant the seeds shallowly, covering them with only about one-quarter to one-half inch of soil.
Place the pots in a location that receives ample sunlight, such as a sunny windowsill. Keep the soil consistently moist, but measure watering to prevent waterlogging, which can damage emerging roots. Within a few weeks, small seedlings should emerge, first showing cotyledons (initial seed leaves), followed by true leaves resembling those of a mature pear tree.
If you started your seedlings indoors, they will need a process called “hardening off” before being moved permanently outside after the last frost. This involves gradually exposing the young plants to outdoor conditions over a week or two, starting with a few hours of shade and slowly increasing their time in direct sunlight. Once hardened, transplant the seedlings into a sunny spot in the garden with well-draining soil.
Genetic Reality: Why Grafting is Necessary
A pear tree grown from seed will not produce fruit identical to the parent fruit. This is due to genetic variability; the seed is a hybrid resulting from two parent trees and carries a unique combination of traits. Planting a seed results in a genetically distinct tree that does not breed “true-to-type.”
The fruit from this seedling tree is often smaller, may have an undesirable texture, or possess a less appealing flavor compared to the named cultivar. Furthermore, a pear tree grown directly from seed can take five to ten years or more before it produces fruit. This long waiting period and uncertain outcome are why commercial growers and home orchardists utilize grafting.
The primary purpose of growing a pear tree from seed is to produce a strong, healthy rootstock. Grafting involves joining a cutting, known as a scion, from a tree of a known, desirable variety onto the seedling’s established root system. This technique allows the scion to grow a canopy that produces the exact fruit variety desired, while the seedling’s robust roots provide vigor and disease resistance. Grafting is typically performed once the seedling rootstock is two to three years old.