Pear Tree from Cutting is getting new leaves

[AnnaIkona]

Hey there everybody! haven't been very active on this forum as I've been very busy lately with all the hard autumn work going on around the homestead.

So anyway, 2 or 3 weeks ago at my friend's house I snapped off some branches off of her pear tree and stuck them in a bottle of spring water. I plucked off all the leaves, leaving only 1 leaf on each branch. The top leaves that I left fell off in about a week. Last week I noticed that the branches have begun to set new buds and leaves! They do look a bit ugly and shrively but they grow bigger and bigger each and every day!

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I am have been really worried to stop the growth and kill the branches so I haven't been changing the water all this time.

They are indoors right now and I am planning on keeping them indoors all winter.

What should I do? Should I plant them in soil now or should I wait until roots form? Any ideas are really appreciated thanks!

[JONA]

To produce roots on a hard wood cutting its usual to plant into soil a cutting some nine inches or so long. The problem with such a huge piece of wood is that it is going to need so much uptake to survive and there is nothing there to take up that amount other than by natural osmosis. I fear that it will start to die before any form of roots can develope.
But......you never know!

[AnnaIkona]

Yes, I agree, it may be a bit too big.

You may not notice from the image, but there are actually much smaller cuttings (5 inches) in there too. They also have begun to grow new leaves.

So you recommend that I plant them in soil now? Could I do this indoors for the winter?

[JONA]

Those are ideal length for cuttings. Plant them in well drained soil in a sheltered place.
They may well take up to 12months to root.
Good luck.

[AnnaIkona]

Thank you! I will try doing that a post some results later on

[JONA]

One thing to add Anna.
If any of the cuttings have their tops cut off for any reason. Make sure you seal the end with paint or wax to conserve moisture while they root.