When to Plant Pear in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Pear guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Jun to Aug
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Shop price
- $4.44/kg
Long-lived deciduous tree available as European pear (Williams, Beurre Bosc, Packham) or Asian/Nashi pear (Nijisseiki, Hosui, Kosui). European pears are picked slightly unripe and ripen off the tree.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Plant bare-root trees in winter. Most varieties need a pollination partner. Picked from late summer through autumn.
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How to Grow Pear in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Deep, well-drained. Tolerates heavier soil than peaches or cherries. Slightly acidic to neutral.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, 6+ hours.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Lettuce, Onion, Chives, Garlic
- Keep away from
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Capsicum, Tomato
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Pear
Recommended Varieties
- Williams
- Packham
- Beurre Bosc
- Josephine de Malines
Key Challenges
- Pear scab in wet springs
Pro Tips
- Excellent pear zone. Goulburn Valley is Australia's pear capital.
- Espalier is brilliant for pears in small gardens.
- Full range of varieties available.
Pests and problems for Pear in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Pear
When ready: European pears: pick when full-sized but still firm (NOT ripe on tree). Background colour lightens slightly. Fruit detaches with upward twist. Ripen at room temperature for 5-10 days. Nashi pears: pick when sweet (they ripen on tree like apples).
How to harvest: Twist upward. European pears MUST be picked pre-ripe. Tree-ripened fruit is mealy/grainy.
Storing and preserving pear
How to keep it
- Drying. Halve or quarter, core. Dip in lemon water. Dehydrate at 55°C for 12-16 hours. Keeps: 12 months.
- Bottling. Peel, halve, core. Pack in light syrup. Water bath 25 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
- Perry (pear cider). Press juice from ripe pears. Ferment with wine yeast. Keeps: 6-12 months.
- Pear butter. Cook pears with sugar and spices until thick. Jar hot. Keeps: 12 months.
What pear costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Pear
When do you plant pear in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Pear in Melbourne?
Plant bare-root trees in winter. Most varieties need a pollination partner. Picked from late summer through autumn.
How do I know when Pear are ready to harvest?
European pears: pick when full-sized but still firm (NOT ripe on tree). Background colour lightens slightly. Fruit detaches with upward twist. Ripen at room temperature for 5-10 days. Nashi pears: pick when sweet (they ripen on tree like apples).
What are the best Pear varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Williams, Packham, Beurre Bosc, Josephine de Malines.
What grows well with Pear?
Good companion plants for Pear include: Nasturtium, Lettuce, Onion, Chives, Garlic.
Are pear salt tolerant?
No. Pear are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.