Hey Marg :)

I don't have pear trees, but a friend used to, and I'm pretty sure you've picked the pears when they're already overripe.

Konrad will likely be able to let you know if I'm right :)

Boy, don't you wish he were your neighbour?

I've been following his post on growing plums. It got me interested in grafting. We have a lot of old apple trees here. Wonder what a pear/apple tree would taste like? Can you even graft a pear to an apple? Marg

I've never had this problem but nuts made a good point, try to pick them earlier.
Yes, you can graft pear to apple and apple to pear, they can fruit for several years but most often after a while, that branch will die off.

it is referred to as the pears going 'sleepy',
and is because they are over ripe

like apples, gently lift fruit and twist the pear
if it comes away fairly easily it is ready
but it will need a ripening period,
like green tomatoes, in a slatted covered box
they are ready when the flesh gives with gentle pressure of the thumb

or leave on the tree for a few more days but not much more,
or they will get sleepy
nighty night little golden spices and ures

Thanks for the info Konrad. I'll pick them earlier next year. I'm going to try the grafting next year. Marg

Pears ripen from the inside.

I picked a bunch of Ure tonight and put them in a paper bag to ripen. Frankly I've never had much luck ripening pears inside in the past, but might as well try again. Usually I just pick up some freshly-fallen pears when they ripen and fall and eat some that way. Ure has a thick skin that doesn't appeal to me, but the inside is wonderful. Most years wasps get most of them. The tree has amazing colour in a good autumn.

Usually I pick them when the first one's drop, ...just picked Westland, my only early pear which is really nice, the late one is the Golden Spice but needs about another two weeks.