When Do You Pick Bartlett Pear?



Bartlett pear. The pear on the left is ready for picking. Notice the skin color change from green (right) to yellowish green. Notice also the seeds in the pear on the left are brown. The one on the right is still white.

Q. Just this year planted a Bartlett pear, and a Comice
for a pollinator. Both have pears on them now. But I thought Bartletts were
supposed to ripen in August. I picked one of my four pears, chilled it in the
refrigerator for a couple days, then let it sit for about three more days
before slicing it. It remained hard as a golf ball and no tastier. When are
they supposed to be ripe? 

 

A. Bartletts are picked when the color of the pear turns
from green to a yellowish green but still hard. Then you must put it at room
temperature to continue ripening and turn soft and buttery. If you let them
soften on the tree, which you did not do, the flesh will be gritty with all
those stone cells in the flesh.

If you pick just as the outside skin turns color to light
or yellowish green, the flesh has more of a buttery texture. The pear on the
left is the right color for picking. Also, the seeds should be brown inside
when ready to pick. We are not picking Bartlett until mid September.

Just an aside, Bartlett usually does not need a
pollinator in most of the Western United States. It does in other parts of the country.
Also, be aware that Comice tends to get corky spot in our alkaline soils and
may require foliar calcium sprays to correct that.