loading

pear 'Beth'

pear

Product Image
Hailed as 'the star of the pear world', 'Beth' is a reliable cropper, with pure white flowers in spring, followed by delicious, small to medium sized dessert pears. These appear quite early in the season (usually ripening in September), have a smooth, pink-flushed skin, and a sweet and juicy flesh that melts in the mouth!

Pollination information: This pear belongs to pollination group 3, so you will need to plant one other different variety of pear to guarantee cross pollination, and a subsequent bumper crop. Ideally this should come from the pollination group, however it is possible to use one from group 2 as well.

How to care for pear Beth:

When planting your pear, prepare a hole up to three times the diameter of its root system. Fork over the base of the pit in readiness, incorporating plenty of organic matter into the backfill and planting hole.

Avoiding frozen and waterlogged soil, trees should be planted out as they arrive. If you've ordered a bare root tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour prior to planting, or if this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily, covering their roots with soil, or potted up.

Pears naturally shed a small quantity of the developing fruits in mid summer. After this has occurred thin out the remaining pears, leaving one pear per cluster. Add a high-nitrogen feed in spring.

In August summer prune. Shorten any side shoots (or laterals) which are longer than 20cm (8in) back to three leaves. This will allow the sun to ripen the fruit and encourage more fruit buds. Make sure that the growth you’re cutting away feels firm to the touch.

The main prune should be done in the winter as long as it isn't frosty or freezing. Take out the 3D’s (dead, dying and diseased wood) and create an open shape. Then reduce the leaders back by a third. Aim to create an airy structure without any crisscrossing branches.

Flowering period:
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Eventual height:
4m
Eventual spread:
3m
Position:

Full sun

Rate of growth:

Average

Soil:

Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

Fully hardy

  • InformationThis plant is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

Product options

Product options image
PL30007033
12 litre pot | QA root stock | 1m
£149.99
In stock
(shipped within 4-6 working days)
Product options image
PL30006185
bare root | QA root stock | 1.2m
£34.99
available to order from spring
Unavailable
1
Delivery options (pick your preferred option at checkout)
Standard Delivery£12.99
Named Day Delivery£19.99

Goes well with

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year