Growing Hardy Pears in Cold Climates: What Actually Works

About this episode

This episode discusses the cultivation of hardy pear varieties in cold climates with expert Elisabeth Racine.

Online classes happening soon: Grow a Potted Yuzu Citrus, Grow Angel's Trumpet (brugmansia) on Your Patio. --- Pears deserve more respect in cold-climate gardens. While apples dominate the conversation, there are pear varieties that are just as hardy. The problem is, most growers don’t know about them. Varieties like Krazulya, Vekovaya, and Ure aren’t widely planted, but they probably should be. In this episode, I chat with Elisabeth Racine from Hardy Fruit Tree Nursery, where they’re testing about 200 pear varieties. We talk about what it takes to grow pears successfully in colder zones, including variety selection, pollination, feeding, and training. We also talk about some top cold-hardy pear varieties and the most common mistakes home growers make when planting pears. If you’ve ever wondered whether pears are worth the space in a northern garden—or which variety to choose if you only have room for one tree—this conversation will help you decide. Topics covered include: Why pears are a worthwhile cold-climate fruit crop How far north pears can realistically be grown The importance of variety selection Top cold-hardy pear varieties for home growers Pollination requirements What…

People in this episode

Host: Steven Biggs

Guest: Elisabeth Racine

Topics covered

• cold climate gardening
• pear varieties
• fruit tree cultivation
• pollination
• home gardening mistakes

Keywords

• cold-hardy pears
• variety selection
• pollination requirements
• home gardening
• fruit trees

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hardy Fruit Tree Nursery

Products: Krazulya, Vekovaya, Ure

More episodes of Food Garden Life Show: Helping You Harvest More from Your Edible Garden, Vegetable Garden, and Edible Landscaping

• An Olive Tree in a Suitcase · June 4, 2026 · 18 min
• Common Quince: The Fragrant Fruit Too Few Gardeners Grow · May 20, 2026 · 34 min
• How to Grow Tomatoes in Cool & Coastal Climates (Without a Greenhouse) · May 6, 2026 · 41 min
• Designing a Vegetable Garden That Actually Works (Rows, Beds & Smart Layouts) · April 23, 2026 · 42 min
• Perennial Vegetables: Edible Crops That Come Back Every Year (with Michalina Hunter) · April 7, 2026 · 40 min
• Grow More Food, Rethink Your Landscape, and Garden Smarter · April 2, 2026 · 28 min