[andyf75]

Hi,
When do you pick these and how do you store them?
I picked a load last week and left in the fruit bowl, but they are still hard. Should I be keeping them somewhere like in the garage instead? or should they be left on the tree longer?

Thanks!

[viettaclark]

Pears don't ripen on the tree. They fall and ripen on the ground so picking at the right time is necessary.
Conference is a late pear and needs picking October/November and will take a few weeks to ripen in the bowl.
Pick when plump and the colour is lightening a bit (when they start dropping and are easy to remove from the spur) and store somewhere cool. Don't let them touch each other to prevent disease spreading.
The ones you picked early might not ripen but shrivel and dry out.
Lots of info on the net.

[sunshineband]

As vietta said, these ones might not ripen, but you could cook them, and still have something to eat.

Funny creatures, pears 

[snowdrops]

Oh dear I picked all mine last week as gales were forecast & when I cupped them & lifted they came off. Might need to look up some recipes.

[Sparkyrog]

Oh dear I picked all mine last week as gales were forecast & when I cupped them & lifted they came off. Might need to look up some recipes.

Those ought to ripen if they came away that easily 

[andyf75]

Pears don't ripen on the tree. They fall and ripen on the ground so picking at the right time is necessary.
Conference is a late pear and needs picking October/November and will take a few weeks to ripen in the bowl.
Pick when plump and the colour is lightening a bit (when they start dropping and are easy to remove from the spur) and store somewhere cool. Don't let them touch each other to prevent disease spreading.
The ones you picked early might not ripen but shrivel and dry out.
Lots of info on the net.

I carefully only picked the ones that came away easily, but I didn't realise they were a "late pear" Thanks for the info, it will be trial and error this year its a tree we've inherited having moved house

edit: having googled some more, most people seem to say pick in September

[Sparkyrog]

Pears don't ripen on the tree. They fall and ripen on the ground so picking at the right time is necessary.
Conference is a late pear and needs picking October/November and will take a few weeks to ripen in the bowl.
Pick when plump and the colour is lightening a bit (when they start dropping and are easy to remove from the spur) and store somewhere cool. Don't let them touch each other to prevent disease spreading.
The ones you picked early might not ripen but shrivel and dry out.
Lots of info on the net.

I carefully only picked the ones that came away easily, but I didn't realise they were a "late pear" Thanks for the info, it will be trial and error this year its a tree we've inherited having moved house

edit: having googled some more, most people seem to say pick in September

Pick by the feel of the pear not the date 

[andyf75]

By the "feel" they seem ready to pick now, but as I've said they don't seem to soften

[viettaclark]

We have had a long hot summer so pears are earlier and smaller than usual.
Actually, Conference aren't as late as I thought anyway. (Sorry! ) More medium term.
Just go by if they pick fairly easily.
Trouble with pears is they don't store like apples....they can go mouldy from the inside out.
Fickle things, pears!!!
ps they freeze really well uncooked.

[Sparkyrog]

Give them a couple of day's on the dresser they should be fine 

[viettaclark]

Just got my Pomona Fruits catalogue and they say they ripen October/November so could be the hot summer......

[snowdrops]

We have had a long hot summer so pears are earlier and smaller than usual.
Actually, Conference aren't as late as I thought anyway. (Sorry! ) More medium term.
Just go by if they pick fairly easily.
Trouble with pears is they don't store like apples....they can go mouldy from the inside out.
Fickle things, pears!!!
ps they freeze really well uncooked.

How strange,that's contrary to every thing I've read.