Pyrus CALLERYANA 'BRADFORD'

Sowing and germination

Pear seeds are small, dark brown, deeply dormant. They are removed from the fruit, washed and soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water or in a solution of a growth stimulator: balanced plant vitamin supplement, natural plant growth stimulant, amino-acid plant fertilizer, anti-stress adaptogen solution or root development stimulant. Stratification is required: 2-3 months in wet sand at 2-5°C. The easiest way is to sow seeds before winter directly into the ground to a depth of 2-3 cm: stratification occurs naturally. When sowing in pots, a loose substrate of peat and sand is used. Shoots appear in spring, 3-6 weeks after the start of warm weather. The crops are kept evenly moist and shaded in the first weeks. Seedlings grow quickly; they are planted in a permanent place in the second year. Varietal characteristics are split during seed propagation, so seedlings are usually used as rootstock.