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Fruit & Orchards

Clapps Pear trees~ pruning newly planted tree

15 years ago

We have just planted two young Clapps pear trees. They are aprox. seven feet and eight feet tall respectively and have good vertical growth, lots of branches and no shape to them yet. At the base they are about 1 1/2 ~ 2 inches in diameter. Looks like very basic pruning has been done.

How do we encourage/train this variety of pear tree? Is it with a central leader or an open center system?

How many scaffold branches do I allow? with the initial pruning?

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Comments (5)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
15 years ago
clare:

Pears are pretty hard to train. They just want to grow straight up. Pruning will not spread the tree much. You will just get more upright shoots. You will need to tie the limbs down to spread the tree. Tie them to a rock or stake or anything else on the ground. After a yr the branch will stay where you trained it. Then train more if needed. After 3-4 yrs of this, you will have a nice tree.

The Fruitnut
clare2008
Original Author
15 years ago
So, I will try this, "weighing down of select branches". But, how many branches should I leave on this young tree?
And, should I leave a main leader on the tree or should I try for an open centre tree? type.
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Clare, thats a tough call. I have found pears difficult to get into a vase shape. It varies by variety, some work well but many just want to go up up up and a great deal of spreading is needed to get a vase. I didn't have the time to spread them properly so I now have some half pyramid half vase trees (double or triple leader) which are working OK. If I were starting over I would consider just doing pyramid shapes. If you are up to the time investment in spreading, completely remove the leader now and start working on a vase shape. The one pruning I would do on your pear now is to head it back so its height is limited. Unless you want a big tree. It will grow a new leader anyway. Scott
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You can't really do that with peach trees as it may kill it. Only new wood can be counted on to generate new buds next year. The tree was trained to be an open center from close to the ground. If you have squirrels or coons (and no adequate chase dog) and don't plan an electric fence you may want to tape up a branch to grow vertical so you can start your scaffolds at about 4'. This will allow you to attach something to the trunk which will prevent these animals from getting up the tree.
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It is okay to do pruning now, but avoid pruning late in the summer. Pruning will stimulate growth when the tree should be trying to go dormant for winter. The link below from Raintree Nursery has a very nice short guide for taking care of young trees. It is a 16 page PDF file that is packed with information and diagrams. The PDF file is formated to print easily as well. Here is a link that might be useful: Raintree Plant Owners Guide
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jellyman
15 years ago
Clare:

Open center, hands down. Your newly-planted trees are already the same height as my pear trees that have been in the ground for 15 years -- and it's not because of the rootstock, it's pruning and training.

I would not have purchased and planted trees of this size, since I prefer to begin training well before they achieve that height. Horizontal branches are fine; vigorous central growth is not. Tying the branches down is one technique, branch spreaders is another. To control growth, try pruning in late summer.

European pears are often slow to begin bloom and fruiting, but I have found that training to a vase shape and pruning in summer reduces the time required. Nurseries often like to sell very tall trees at premium prices since many people believe taller is better. The opposite is the case.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
clare2008
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, lots to learn!!
Hmm since the trees are the height they are how to go about getting the desired open cup form?
Is it to late to prune back the central leader and then selectively prune out some of the scaffold? branches and then to weigh the others down?
And if we are to late to encourage this shape what do you recommend?
As pears are, I am learning, vigorous growers, (I should have known because we had one at the restaurant I owned and it was not only a fast grower but!! a fine fruiter. NO bugs!!.) how should I treat these under pruned/ overgrown treelets? without doing damage.
clare2008
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, lots to learn!!
Hmm since the trees are the height they are how to go about getting the desired open cup form?
Is it to late to prune back the central leader and then selectively prune out some of the scaffold? branches and then to weigh the others down?
And if we are to late to encourage this shape what do you recommend?
As pears are, I am learning, vigorous growers, (I should have known because we had one at the restaurant I owned and it was not only a fast grower but!! a fine fruiter. NO bugs!!.) how should I treat these under pruned/ overgrown treelets? without doing damage.

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