Suggestions for a wet pear tree

General Fruit Growing
#1

I planted a Ubileen Pear tree this year in my new side orchard. Little did I know that this area is the low spot and all the water from my gutter is pooling up right where the tree is planted. Last night I went to check it out while it was raining and found it pretty much submerged up to the graft region.

Has anyone had luck building a berm to move the flow of water from around a tree? Do you think concrete blocks would work or do I need to get some soil and put it around the woodchips that surround the tree?

If I were to move the tree, should I do so now or wait to the fall?

thanks

1 Like
#2

Tough situation. If you have just planted it from a pot you could probably move it now. Diverting the water might be the best option if it is possible to do. If the tree survives I would move it when it goes dormant.

1 Like
#3

I agree with Bill. Also, if you need to leave it where it is it might be workable to bring in a yard or so of dirt and raise the tree where it is. That might result in less root disturbance. At the same time it would probably be a good idea to build a berm to help some of that water along. But that assumes there’s a place for it to go to! Berms and drains are done for this kind of thing, so I say go for it.

1 Like
#4

I had luck diverting water by digging a hole right where water comes down from gutter and installing drainage pipe going where I want the water to come using something like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/NDS-12-in-x-12-in-Catch-Basin-2-Opening-Kit-1200BKIT/100377423
and
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Advanced-Drainage-Systems-4-in-x-50-ft-Corex-Drain-Pipe-Solid-04510050/203246774?MERCH=REC--PIPHorizontal2_rr--100377423--203246774--N

2 Likes
#5

I just got in from installing curved pavers in front of the tree to try and push the water to the side. I dug down a little and tamped them in, then pushed dirt in front of them and dug a little path away from the tree. I’ll have to wait until it rains again to see what happens.

Thanks for all the ideas.

#6

Sorry to hear about the water issue. Diversion is probably a good idea, hopefully it’ll survive until you can transplant it when it goes dormant.

I planted 3 pluots in March, and we have had so much rain here since then. They’re in a decent area, and the soil drains well, but it can only hold so much water. My Dapple Dandy was starting to have some of newly sprouted branches and leaves go limp, I assume from too much water in the root zone. Thankfully the deluges have stopped and the tree has recovered.

#7

Same with this pear tree. The new growth tips died back and the branches look droopy. The leaves are still very green and healthy looking so hopefully it bounces back. The Harrow Sweet I planted 12 feet away, but not in the path of the gutter water is growing beautifully and about twice the size of the Ubileen.

Good luck with the pluots. It seems, in my little experience, that these trees need to be babied for a year or two, then are a little easier to deal with.