As we head into the dormant season, I have a question. As most pear trees are very upright growers (before fruit loads change that), can I weight/bend limbs effectively now?
I’m speaking of first year growth. I’d like to open up the first year graft growth, though I do have a concern over the strength of the graft point as it may put a stress concentration at that point.
Perhaps I can use medium gauge wire and play out the bend over some distance after the graft point, sort of how bonsai is trained.
Anyway my hope is the wood caliper and hardness still allows for training that will keep next year.
I’d wait until next growing season at the soonest. The tree isn’t putting much (if any) wood on now, which is what sets the new angles. I’d also stay away from wiring it like bonsai. It will grow much faster than a bonsai will and you could end up with girdled branches.
Also, you should probably mostly let your graft do its thing for a year or so before you really start training it.
@jcguarneri
Makes sense. Thinking about it weighting the branch end would distribute the load over the whole branch, but yes I certainly see the graft scar tissue as the weak point of the system.
@TNHunter
I’ve used the cheap plastic kinds a bit but they become brittle in the sun and eventually break.
That video is intriguing, but not so much for a young grafted branch I think.
You trees are quite a ways ahead of mine maturity wise. Looks great and manageable.
Do you thin yours in summer after you see the water shoots? Or perhaps winter and summer pruning?
I’m slightly prune shy now on timing knowing of the humidity and disease pressure down here. Maybe late summer pruning is better so there isn’t new growth for things like FB to take advantage of.
My older tree photo that I’ve added several varieties to this past spring, followed by a 2nd leaf multi graft.
I found limb spreaders hard to use in many cases. I have all different sizes but often they would not get the limb spread enough. So now I almost exclusively tie limbs down. I usually can tie to trunk or another limb, but if there is nothing to tie to I will set a post or stake and tie to that.
You can tie down first year growth but if it’s a new tree it’s probably not long enough yet.
EDIT: I see your pictures now, I think our posts overlapped. I could see tying down some of those. Spreaders will be hard to use there. The top tree has a narrow crotch angle which can be hazardous, most commercial growers would eliminate that. I have kept many myself and have not had too many problems when they are nearly equal in size.
The good news is besides time to fruit, you don’t loose anything by pruning.
Once the leaves are gone I can see everything more clearly for late winter pruning and tying. Thanks
That larger tree is a Shinseiki that I added Korean Giant, Yakumo, Raja, and Hosui to this spring.
The little one came with Shinseiki, Hosui, and 20th Century.
I am getting the following scion this coming spring: Pai Li, Ya Li, Shinko, and Gem. I will graft them to the two trees though the little one probably only has branches for 2 scion without losing the original varieties.
The little tree has set what I believe will be many fruiting spurs, so allowing a few fruit to develop on each will perhaps let new grafts in 2024 grow and catch up a bit.
I think I’ve got enough varieties that in a few years I can evaluate what does best here and what I enjoy eating more…along with harvest timing.
I have used these before, they are just okay. When or if you have big wind storms they seem to fall off. I stopped using them because of that.
I wish I could find the ones TNHunter posted the video of. Those would stay on a LOT better.
If anyone finds out where to buy them please post that link. TY.
I think bending branches may be a better option than pruning for pears if fireblight is an issue, since pruning can stimulate the kind of succulent growth FB prefers. Sometimes pears do have brittle crotches that can crack if you bend or spread too aggressively
I just bought a bunch of the metal ones. I’m wondering if I can still apply them at this time of year since this summers growth has lignified. I think the pear branches, though thicker than plum, seem to retain flexibility longer.
I noticed my limbs are very fragile and easy to break rather than bend now as temps fall, better to wait until spring just after bud swell when temps are warmer during the day. As sap rises most limbs are more supple. So unless there a good reason to rush, it’s better to wait
Dennis
Kent, Wa
