andrewj80
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Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:40 pm
Location: zone 4a (Chaska MN)

Pear Tree first prune

I just planted some nursery fruit trees from 10 gallon containers, so some are fairly mature. This particular tree is a Summercrisp Pear. Unfortunately as you can see it is almost a single stalk. Nice strong central leader, but pretty much no branching. :(

I am nervous about making that crazy cut to lop off the entire tree and reverse a couple years of growth, but what do I need to do to this tree to get the nice strong central leader, conical growth that is desired for a pear tree?

Thanks!
>Andrew
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valley
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:25 am
Location: ranches in sierra nevada mountains California & Navada high desert

Hi andrew, Good hearing form you. Everyone has a different idea on pruning. I feel the same way each time I'm at that point. I'm guessing you'll nip it back to the hight of the pole next to it. Can't tell how tall it is, it that about 4'?

Richard

JONA878
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Hi Andrew.
As you have not got any real branching going on on your tree you have to decide where you want those bottom branches to be.
Wherever you cut that leader back to is where they will more than likely start to develop.
Mid-way between the knee and the thigh is about right for a centre leader tree. this should give you a bottom branch framework at around waist high when the tree is fully grown.
If a tree has got a good variety of young shoots ( feathers) then you can get away with just a light tipping to generate good tip growth, but in the case of your pear where shoots are needed then the cut has to be made lower. If you don't do this the bottom branches may well finish up too high up the tree.
The same principle applies often to the Triploid vars of apple who can be reluctant to produce feathers in their young stage.
Good nurseries usually manage to get maiden trees to feather well by various techniques used in producing the trees.

Good luck. It looks a healthy tree.

valley
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Greetings, That's, I'm sure, is the way to do it.

Hi, Jona, I've been looking for you, always like to listen in when you're talking fruit trees. Good to see you here.

Richard

JONA878
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Location: SUSSEX

valley wrote:Greetings, That's, I'm sure, is the way to do it.

Hi, Jona, I've been looking for you, always like to listen in when you're talking fruit trees. Good to see you here.

Richard

Thanks Richard.
Been away for a holiday to Cyprus..just got back.
Hope you and yours are well.
Best wishes
John.

andrewj80
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Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:40 pm
Location: zone 4a (Chaska MN)

Thanks for all the feedback. I am zone 4a, near Minneapolis MN.

The tree is about 5 feet tall, and has some small branches near the bottom as you can see just above the trunk wrap. They might turn out to be some good scaffolding branches so I will wait until fall to see what else develops and then maybe lop it off...that cut will probably make me sad! I have another problem though...which isn't related to pruning and will post separately - crazy bugs all over my brand new trees! :( :(



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