Pear Mini Conference

Plant the pear tree in a sunny border in any well drained soil. Prior to planting, incorporate plenty of well rotted manure or garden compost into the planting hole. Fruit trees should be fastened to a stake to prevent them from rocking in windy weather. Drive the stake into the ground prior to planting. Staking after planting may result in damage to the root ball of the tree. Plant fruit trees at the same soil level as they were in their original pots and firm them into the ground. Fasten the tree to the stake using a tree tie, and water well.

In spring, while the ground is moist, apply a mulch of well rotted manure or garden compost to the base of the tree. This will help to retain moisture throughout the summer.Feed and water pear trees regularly throughout the summer, particularly during their first two years. Fruit trees do not suffer weed competition well. Keep weeds and grass clear from within a 30cm radius of base of the tree. In July, thin out fruits leaving two pears remaining per cluster in order to produce the best quality, largest pears.Pruning pear trees begins immediately after planting. Remove the central stem to just above the highest side branch. For the following 3 years, prune only the tips of the remaining main branches by one third in winter. Aim for about six main branches which will form the frame of your tree, with fruiting sub branches growing off of them. From the fourth year, some sub branches can be pruned out at the union where they join the main branch, to allow new sub branches to take their place.