Sounds like they should definetely be picked ASAP! Pears are picked hard and ripened on the shelf. They are known to be "mealy" if ripened on the tree. Hopefully it isnt to late for yours. Some pears can be stored long periods in the fridge hard.

Thank you. I will pick them all tonight.

thanks! i had the same question. each year i wait for them to ripen and they get mealy and eaten by the jays.

pear pickin' for me in the morning:)

I picked mine and they ripened quickly on the kitchen counter. I had plenty for the whole neighborhood - literally.

Chris if you put them in the refrigerator and only leave out what you can eat, you can be enjoying them for weeks. Al

Thanks Garden Web members for the advice. I had been waiting for my Bartlett pears to fall to the ground and then they were dented or rotted at the core. I am going to pick the rest of them today. A tree expert recently told me that I have fireblight. Question: Many leaves look burnt. Is there a remedy for that without using toxic chemicals?

No, nothing really controls/rids fireblight. About the only thing to do is to cut the branch back to where it's healthy and destroy the blighted branch.

wanda