I’ve been neglecting this pear due to… Life, I guess! I only have one/ two of my original four graft varieties still labeled. I’ve got lots of crossing branches and lots of vertical growth. Any advice? These were grafted last spring with generous scion donations from a kind member here. I wish I could see someone do this in person but I’m comforted by the fact that if I take these cutting as scions and graft them elsewhere (we have tons of callery weeds!!) then I’ll get lots of practice pruning. I’ve already made four small cuts. Any advice?
I’m looking at on a smartphone but the general shape is about right. Trim crossed branches and any growing to closely together but more importantly use restraint when pruning and practice as much of the leave alone policy as possible. Keep it growing up. @ClothAnnie if you keep that kind of growth going in another 2 or 3 years you will eat your first pears off that tree. Watch out for rootstock sprouts this spring trying to steal vigor from your grafts. That trunk will be covered in sprouts this spring so keep rubbing them off.
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Thanks so much, Clark!! (And my forum access is almost exclusively on my iPhone.) I really, really appreciate it! Is it ok that it’s getting super tall? After a severe windstorm here recently I guess the grafts must be pretty strong so I can let it continue to go up but I was wondering about limiting the height for hopefully one day accessing fruit.
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It will top out around 20 feet and I would let it and then just use a picking stick for the pears on the taller branches. Callery in my area don’t get over 15-25 tall depending on genetics of the callery and the scions you grafted on the rootstock. Let it grow up because if you try and slow it down it will send out a lot of messy growth.
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