Pear 'Doyenne du Comice'

Where to Plant
Choose a warm, sheltered position in full sun, avoiding obvious frost pockets where possible as pear blossom can be vulnerable to late spring frosts. Plant in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil and avoid sites that become waterlogged.

Planting Your Potted Tree
Water the tree thoroughly before planting. Dig a hole around twice the width of the root ball but no deeper than the root system. Carefully remove the pot and gently tease out any tightly circling roots.

Position the tree so the top of the root ball sits level with the surrounding soil, keeping the graft union above soil level. Backfill with soil, gently firm around the roots and water thoroughly. Stake the tree if needed to keep it secure while the roots establish.

Potted trees can be planted throughout the year, provided the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. If planting during warmer weather, make sure the tree is watered regularly while it establishes.

Watering & Feeding
Water regularly during the first growing season and during prolonged dry spells. Consistent moisture is particularly important while the fruits are developing.

Feed in spring with a suitable fruit tree fertiliser and mulch around the base with well-rotted compost or organic matter, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.

Pruning
Prune during the dormant season to develop and maintain a healthy, well-balanced framework. Remove dead, damaged, diseased, crossing or badly positioned branches and remove any shoots growing from below the graft union.

Do I Need Another Pear Tree?
Yes. 'Doyenné du Comice' is not self-fertile, so it needs a compatible pear flowering at around the same time nearby for successful pollination and a good fruit set.

Pollination Group 4
'Doyenné du Comice' belongs to Pollination Group 4. Choose a compatible pear from the same or a neighbouring flowering group with an overlapping flowering period.

Although 'Onward' flowers at a similar time, the two varieties are not compatible pollination partners, so avoid choosing 'Onward' specifically to pollinate 'Doyenné du Comice'.

Spring Blossom
Clusters of white flowers appear in spring before the fruits begin to develop. Bees and other pollinating insects visiting the blossom help transfer pollen between compatible trees, making the flowers an attractive as well as important part of growing your own pears.

Developing Fruit
Large pears develop through summer, with green-yellow skin that can develop an attractive red flush. 'Doyenné du Comice' is particularly prized for the quality of its fruit rather than exceptionally heavy yields, rewarding you with large pears of outstanding eating quality.

Top Tip:
Give 'Doyenné du Comice' your warmest, sunniest suitable position. Plenty of sunshine will help the fruits ripen and develop their characteristic rich flavour.

When to Harvest
'Doyenné du Comice' is a late-season pear, with fruits generally ready to pick in October. Rather than waiting for them to become completely soft on the tree, harvest the pears when they're mature but still firm and allow them to finish ripening afterwards.

How to Tell When Pears Are Ready
Gently cup a fruit in your hand, lift it slightly and give it a small twist. A mature pear should come away from the branch fairly easily without needing to be pulled. If it resists, leave it on the tree a little longer.

Ripening After Picking
Allow freshly harvested pears to finish ripening indoors. As they ripen, the flesh becomes softer, juicier and melting, developing the rich, sweet and aromatic flavour 'Doyenné du Comice' is famous for.

Storing Your Harvest
Choose sound, undamaged pears for storage and keep them somewhere cool. Check the fruits regularly and bring a few into room temperature at a time to finish ripening as you need them.

Top Tip:
Don't wait for Comice pears to become soft on the tree. Picking them while they're mature but firm and allowing them to ripen afterwards helps develop that beautifully melting texture.

One of the Finest Eating Pears
Allow 'Doyenné du Comice' pears to ripen until the flesh becomes soft and melting, then enjoy them just as they are. Their sweet, juicy and aromatic flavour makes them particularly good for eating fresh.

Serve Simply
Slice ripe pears into salads or serve with cheese and walnuts. Their rich flavour means they need very little added to them.

For Desserts
The fruits are also delicious poached, baked or used in tarts and puddings. Use firmer pears for cooking and save fully ripened fruits for eating fresh.

Top Tip:
To check whether a pear is ready to eat, gently press the flesh close to the neck. A slight give is a good sign that it has softened and is ready to enjoy.

5 Litre Potted Trees
Your tree is supplied growing in a 5 litre pot with its roots established in compost. Potted trees can generally be planted throughout the year, provided the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged.

On Arrival
Unpack your tree promptly and check the compost. Water thoroughly if it feels dry. If you can't plant immediately, keep the tree outdoors in a sheltered position and make sure the compost doesn't dry out.

Grafted Fruit Trees
Pear 'Doyenné du Comice' is grafted, combining the fruiting variety with a rootstock that helps control the eventual size and vigour of the tree. You'll usually be able to see the graft union towards the base of the stem. Keep this above soil level when planting.

Quince A Rootstock
'Doyenné du Comice' is grafted onto Quince A rootstock, producing a semi-vigorous, medium-sized garden pear. It will typically reach around 3–4.5m tall, although its eventual size will vary according to soil, growing conditions, training and pruning.

What to Expect
Your 5L tree is a young fruit tree and won't look like a mature specimen straight away. During its first few years it will establish its roots and develop its framework of branches, with cropping increasing as the tree matures.