Growing pears is a bit of a leap in the dark. Although closely related to apples, they are just not as easy to grow, and results can be mixed. Pear trees like good conditions, and they thrive in countries with warm weather, such as Italy and the south of France. Here, they are more successful in the drier, sunnier east of the country.

Pear trees – and most other kinds of fruit – like deep, fertile topsoil, well-drained. This kind of soil is generally red-brown in colour and has a good crumb structure. If the quality of soil is less than perfect, attention to drainage and improving structure with organic matter can make a poor soil better. The application of a base dressing of a compound fertiliser high in phosphorus and potash can make a big difference to soil fertility and can be topped up as necessary.

The site for pear trees is also important, given their liking of warm conditions. A southerly aspect and ground sloping to the south can be a few degrees warmer.

A space well sheltered by trees is warmer, but the pear trees must not be over-shadowed or have the roots run underneath in competition. If a wall is available to grow trained pear trees, even better. A wall provides shelter and warms the air by reflecting and releasing stored heat at night.

Pear trees can reach 10m or more when grown on their own roots, so they are generally grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks to give a smaller tree.

Quince is related to pear and is less vigorous. Quince C is the most dwarfing rootstock, Quince A is semi-dwarfing and Pyrodwarf is a more vigorous rootstock, itself a form of pear. In many garden centres, there is no information available about rootstock. Specialist fruit nurseries are better in this regard.

There are lots of pear varieties, many from France. ‘William’s Bon Chretien’ is broad, slightly angular, early, with good flavour but not a keeper. ‘Conference’ is one of the most popular pear varieties, with long narrow green yellow fruit when ripe. ‘Concorde’ is similar, but easier to grow, suffering less from canker. ‘Doyenne du Comice’ has a wide pear shape with a red flush and excellent flavour. ‘Onward’ is like Comice, very good in flavour and reliable.

These are all mid-season, about early to mid-October. These varieties cross-pollinate in general, but Williams is sterile, so two other varieties, at least, are needed. Pear pollination is more critical than for apples because pears flower much earlier, and there are fewer trees shedding pollen in the neighbourhood.

Grow pears on dwarfing rootstocks to keep them small, at about 2m, and prune to give a pyramidal shape, or a goblet shape for bigger trees, or train them as a tiered espalier tree on a wall, if possible, starting with a young trained tree.

Seek out varieties with some natural resistance to disease, such as ‘Concorde’ and ‘Onward’. The major disease is pear scab, which causes leaf spotting and shoot cankers. Especially in areas of higher rainfall, it may be necessary to spray for scab.

Pear midge causes premature fruit drop and the fallen fruit should be removed and destroyed. Pear leaf blister mite causes slightly raised red patches on the leaves and spraying with a garden insecticide in spring may be necessary after petal fall.

Pears do not ripen on the tree. Naturally, they fall to the ground where they soften, but they can be damaged by falling. So, pears are picked when they look ready and the stem parts from the tree reasonably easily. Store pears in a cool place and check them for ripeness each week. They can soften in two to six weeks or so, and once softening has started it goes fast. There is no pear to compare with fully-ripened home-grown fruit for juicy flavour! CL

Garlic bulbils

Elephant garlic has become more popular in recent years. It has fewer cloves, much larger and sometimes just a single clove. It is not a true garlic, being a form of leek that produces bulbs of mild garlic taste at the root base of the stem. The larger bulbils can be used in cooking and the smaller ones kept to grow on in size.

The plant produces a tall flower stem, sometimes 2m, just as leeks do, and much taller and more sturdy than true garlic. Some small florets can be produced but usually the “flower head” consists of small round bulbils. Like the root bulbils, these can be planted in a row to eventually grow to full size. If left to fall, around now, they come up anyway, but maybe in the wrong places.

Trees, shrubs and roses

This is a good time for planting all kinds of deciduous trees, shrubs and roses and pot-grown conifers and broadleaved evergreens. Deciduous trees and shrubs can also be moved during this time, as can roses. Most kinds move well, especially if they are not too old, and some care is taken.

Fruit, vegetables and herbs

The vegetable garden needs to be tidied up and old crops removed. Potatoes, carrots and Swede turnips can be stored in suitable conditions – a cool shed with an earthen floor is ideal but take precautions against rats. Lift, divide and replant herbs, such as mint, marjoram and tarragon.

Flowers

Plant spring bedding and bulbs in flower beds. Remove the old summer bedding and plant the spring bedding plants, removing weeds first. Pots and other containers can be replanted too, with spring bedding and bulbs. Lift, divide and re-plant perennial flowers that have grown too large.

Lawn

The growth of grass this autumn has been very strong and it is important to continue mowing as long as the soil is not soggy. Be sure to rake off leaves from the grass or pick them up with a rotary mower. Lawn moss has been actively growing too and can be treated with lawn mosskiller.

Greenhouse and house plants

Remove old plants and tidy up all greenhouse debris and weeds to leave it neat and clean. Water only sparingly and check for pests. House plants should not be fed until growth begins next year and watering should be just sufficient to keep the compost just moist, never sopping wet.