Pyrus communis "Patten", 7 l pot, +/- 1.5 m plant height

• Type: Pear tree
• Latin name: Pyrus communis
• Cultivar: Patten
• Ripening: autumn
• Pot: 7 L
• Light: sunny
• Winter hardiness: USDA 5–7

Planting Plant in spring (late April – May) or autumn (September) in a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, well-drained soil; wet spots with standing water are unsuitable. Dig a 60×60 cm hole, mix the excavated soil with compost or a soil improver, set the tree so that the graft union stays 5–8 cm above soil level and water generously. Many pear cultivars crop better when another pear cultivar that flowers at the same time grows nearby. Space trees 4–5 m apart.

Watering Water young trees regularly for the first two years – 20–30 L once a week and more often in dry spells. Established trees need water after flowering, during fruit growth and before winter (a deep autumn soak). Mulch around the trunk, keeping mulch away from the bark.

Pruning Prune in late winter to early spring before bud break: build the crown from 4–5 main branches, remove dead, crossing and inward-growing shoots and keep the crown open for light and air. Never remove more than a quarter of the crown a year. Seal larger cuts with pruning paint.

Feeding and winter care Feed in spring with nitrogen (compost, organic fertiliser), in June–July with a balanced fertiliser, and in August–September with a potassium-phosphorus fertiliser; do not give nitrogen in autumn. Cultivars are hardy in Estonian conditions; protect the trunk of young trees with whitewash or spruce boughs against hares and frost cracks, and clear fallen leaves to reduce scab.