noobgardener
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How to Create a Support for a Fruit Tree to Prevent Leaning

So I walked out into my yard the other day and noticed that my pear tree was leaning...a lot. Don't ask why I didn't notice this before, I'm not sure how I missed it. We've lived in the house for almost a year now and so this summer is the first season we've been able to really crack down on the yard. Anyway, I'm not sure what to do about how much it's leaning. I pushed it back upright to almost straight and I cut some of the weight off. I know summer pruning isn't ideal but I think it would have broken by the end of summer.

Anyway, I'm not sure what else to do. The the branches, no matter what side they grow on, lean to the left (from the perspective the picture was taken). There is a fig tree next to it that was sorta growing into it so I cut some of it off too. Basically I don't know what to do. There are sprouts directly off the trunk that are bearing fruit (vs. on a branch)...but I don't want to cut too much off and kill it.

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See how everything grows off the trunk?

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JONA878
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It looks like you need a good strong tall stake there noobgardener.
If you leave it like that it will surely lean all the more until the inevitable happens.

Once it is firmly staked I would try and pull and tie some of those upright branches down as far as they will go without breaking so that they are encouraged to stop the urge to go skyward. Until you can get some form of branch structure going, the small amount of fruit you are going to get will always be close to the trunk as there is no enticement for it to produce flower buds anywhere else.

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applestar
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Yeah, first step is to pound a strong ground stake in the ground at an angle opposite the way it's leaning. I usually just use 2-3 ft rebar pounded in by 12-18 inches (but make sure it's not sticking up where people can trip -- old tennis ball is a good cover for the end that's sticking up -- bright color and padding). Another way, and what JONA is saying, I think, is to use something like taller U or T fence posts as stakes to support the stake lines from the upper parts of the tree.

Then what I use is a piece of old garden hose threaded with a strong rope -- I actually use haystring doubled or tripled but clothesline works too. Use the garden hose as padding against the trunk of the tree, tie once (good square knot) to curve the hose into a teardrop shape around the trunk (not tight -- leave plenty of room to grow.

Now have a helper push the tree upright as far as it would go without breaking anything including the roots and secure the rope tight on the ground stake. You *may* need to do this from two angles rather than just one directly opposite the lean depending on the size of the tree and softness of the ground. If that's the case, then the first directly opposite was just to get it in position so you can secure the two other stakes.

Over the course of the next couple of years, push the tree upright some more and tighten the stake line several times until the tree is as straight as you want it to be.

When you straighten the tree, you'll notice that some branches/shoots that used to grow in desirable directions aren't any more. I would take out the ones that would now be considered watersprouts -- growing straight up -- because they will take over due to tendencies to apically dominance during this growing season. Train the others like JONA said.

P.S. JONA - please don't hesitate to speak up if I have this wrong or if there's a BETTER way. :)

JONA878
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Thanks Star...
the only reason I suggested the tall stake..and here I mean an 8ft or so...is that I think to get the tree back into line as quickly as possible there needs to be the ability to have a tie fairly high up the tree as well as a lower one.
However, to have enough strength you would need to get at least 2ft or more of the stake into the ground. The higher the tie..the more the strain on the stake.

The only other alternative that works....but it takes up more space....is to drive two stakes in on the lower side of the tree just off line with the centre then slide a cross supporting stake between them so that the tree leans against it...after padding with some sacking etc. The benefit of this is that the strain is shared between the two stakes and there is no actual ties used.

After straightening it does pay to water the tree well for a while so that any damaged roots have a chance to repair.

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ReptileAddiction
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I agree with staking it like suggested before. I would also go out and pull some of the fruit off. The fruit weighs quite a bit and getting some off would help I think. I would also prune it back like you did. Contrary to popular belief summer pruning is fine. It is how you maintain size control on a tree. In a few weeks I am going to go out and cut down my peach quite a bit.

noobgardener
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Thanks for all the advice!
What should I do about the fruit growin off the trunk?

JONA878
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Eat it.
..............Don't worry about it. Once the trees branches are growing out correctly they will start to produce fruit normally.



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