BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of seeding timing and method of rye and/or hairy vetch on seasonal soil and foliar nutrient concentrations as well as fruit quality in a pesticide-free pear orchard. METHODS AND RESULTS: The treatments included as followed: single seeding of rye in September (Sep-Mono), November (Nov-Mono), and January (Jan-Mono), or mix seeding of rye+hairy vetch in November (Nov-Mix) and January (Jan-Mix), or sod culture as a control. Cover crops or vegetation was mown and mulched on the soil surface in April and May for two years. Nov-Mix treatment produced the highest dry matter weight of $12,070kg;ha^{-1}$, with the lowest dry matter weight for sod culture ($6,520kg;ha^{-1}$), following Jan-Mix ($7,030kg;ha^{-1}$). Nov-Mix treatments increased potential amount of N, P, and K from the raw materials of the cover crops as well as improved soil physical properties. Nov-Mix treatments overall elevated soil pH, EC, organic matter, and $P_2O_5$ in May compared to other cover crop treatments or sod culture. The difference of the seasonal nutrient concentrations in leaves or fruit qualities were not consistently occurred amongst treatments. CONCLUSION: Nov-Mix treatments showed playing role in a substitute of a chemical fertilizer. Delayed seeding of cover crops such as Jan-Mix did not increase the potential dry matter production due to the short growing period, and the seeding time would affect the dry matter production of cover crops.