Take the guesswork out of pruning pear trees with these must-know tips.
Pruning pear trees is an essential annual task to maintain their shape and prevent overgrown limbs.
Pruning boosts harvest yields by encouraging more branching and fruiting.
Credit:Ben Schonewille
Ben Schonewille
1.
Choose the right tools.
For larger branches measuring 3 inches in diameter or more,hand sawsare the best tool for the job.
verify any pruning tools you use are sharp andthoroughly sterilizedto prevent the spread of plant diseases.
Prune at the right time.
Pear trees pruned in autumn might leaf out before frost and be susceptible to winter damage.
Start with a young pear tree.
Its much easier to shape pear trees little by little than to refresh overgrown pear trees with massive branches.
Remove dead, damaged, and diseased branches anytime.
Protect the health of your pear trees by cutting off any dead, damaged, or diseased branches.
Pear trees can produce small stemsknown as watersproutsor suckers around the base of their trunks.
Suckers are easy to clip off with sharp pruners.
Cut away irregular growth.
Thin out fruiting buds.
Aim for a wine glass shape.
