Pyrus Communis Growing From Seeds

Harvesting Seeds

• Pears harvested for eating shouldn’t be allowed to ripen on the tree, but those you’ll harvest for seeds don’t have that restriction. Wait until late fall or winter, when the fruit is ripe but before it falls from the tree. Retrieving the seeds from the fruit is as easy as cutting it open and using your fingers or a small spoon to dig them out of the center. Since there may be a bit of pulp clinging to the seeds, and pulp may attract fungal pathogens, wash them in a bowl of water, scrubbing gently with a toothbrush. If you’ll be saving the seeds to plant at a later date, allow them to air-dry completely before storing them. Seeds of the common pear can be stored for two to three years.

Seed Preparation

• Common pear seeds require pre-treatment both to soften the seed and to break dormancy. Begin the stratification process three months before you want to plant the seeds. First you’ll need to soak the seeds in a bowl of tap-water for 24 hours. Any moist material will assist the seed in breaking its dormancy. Use sand, peat moss or even moist paper towels, enclosed in a zip-lock type sandwich bag. Push the seeds into the medium and refrigerate the bag for three months.

Planting

• After stratification, the pear seeds can be sown, 1-inch deep in nursery flats or pots with holes in the bottom for drainage. Use a sterile, seed-starting mix to avoid damping off, a disease caused by various fungal pathogens. The key to germination is keeping the planting medium moist at all times and providing humidity. This can be accomplished by sliding the germination container into a plastic bag, or covering it with plastic wrap. Use a sharp instrument to poke five or six holes in the plastic to allow air to circulate. Pyrus communis seeds typically germinate within three weeks, but don’t be concerned if it takes longer.

Seedling Care

• Pyrus communis seedlings will need to be grown indoors for the first year. Give them lots of indirect sunlight and keep the soil just barely moist. When the seedlings have their third set of leaves, fertilize them with a houseplant formula, such as 8-7-6 at a rate of ½ teaspoon in 1 quart of water, every two weeks. Space the seedlings 20 to 25 feet apart when you plant them out in spring.