Thank you. I thought it would be a waste of southern exposure to put some kind of lattice or other material there. It turned what is usually an ugly area into something productive
1 Like
I pruned my espaliered 3 year old Moonglow Pear today. I waited until most branches had terminal buds, and the bottom of laterals were woody, not green. We have a hot, dry forecast which should reduce fireblight risk (there’s a lot of fb on Colorado front range).
First, I cut out all the new laterals growing off main trunk.
Next, I cut back any laterals off the scaffolds to three leaves above the basal whorl.
Then on the few side shoots off these laterals, I cut back to one leaf above their basal cluster.
I then selected two side branches for the third level and zip tied them to a bamboo stake.
The last thing was to cut off the remaining leader at the height for the next year’s fourth and final level.
Before:
After
4 Likes
Update, and could use some advice.
The tree responded more vigorously than I wanted. Where I was hoping for a few leaves, or maybe a fruit bud, in some places I got 12” of new growth. Photo 1
An adjoining tree, pruned at the same time, responded more in line with my hope. Photo 2.
I was trying to follow Michael Phillips approach from Holistic Orchard. Photo 3.
We probably have about a month until first hard frosts and two months before regular freezing. Should I prune these back down to a few buds, or leave them until spring?
1 Like
Successive summer puning to redirect sap to base of sprout and the change physiology from vegetative to flowering. Lorette’s method.
2 Likes
So just keep pruning back to basal area, even if it’s several times each season?
1 Like
So I have been working toward Horizontal Cordon- are you suggesting I consider U shape due to the way these laterals are taking off (and up) on the lower cordon?
If you dont want a cordon, then you can successively prune in june, july august. Depends on your situation and space. This is what you want to end up with in Mid august. Notice at the base of shoot, it’s surrounded by leaves. Those are the ones you want to end with by mid/ late august depending…
1 Like
Thanks @noogy - I have found a copy of this book on Cornell site and will do some reading. Appreciate your help!
1 Like