[fisher]

My Williams pears look nearly ready.. please, I need advice about when to pick and how best to store them??
Thanks
Fisher 

[mumofstig]

RHS advice:

Harvest pears just before they are fully ripened. They should be firm and swollen, with a subtle colour change to their skin.

Test early varieties by tasting one of the fruit for sweetness, yet firmness. ............

Pears benefit from storage or a period of ripening before eating: early cultivars usually need a week or so until they become softer, while later ones can need months before being ready for eating.

Link to full page here http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own/Fruit-A-to-Z/Pears

[ex-cavator]

Get him to pick and store his own pears.

Sorry, couldn't resist 

[sunshineband]

When they come away from the twig with a little twist, they are ready to pick but you need to wait for a week or two to eat them unless you like really hard pears of course, or are going to cook them.

Just like RHS said in fact 

Dad had a 'family' pear tree (Wiiliams and Conference) and picking was always a bit of a ritual  )

[sarajane]

When they come away from the twig with a little twist, they are ready to pick but you need to wait for a week or two to eat them unless you like really hard pears of course, or are going to cook them.

Once picked I now store them in the cool garage and bring a few indoors and they soon ripen in the warmth.

Once made the mistake of leaving a big box of them in the greenhouse and some *"*^*: stole them

[fisher]

Thanks all!  Ive picked them now and must find a cool home for them.. lovely flavour -the few we've tried.
fisher