Spring pruning of pear trees is not an easy task, but it is necessary for large harvests.

The pear tree is capable of forming its own crown, which positively influences the number of fruits growing on its branches. However, to maximize the yield and extend its lifespan, it is necessary to correct the tree's shape. Pruning is primarily performed in the spring before the sap begins to flow.

If you're unsure about handling this procedure on your own, we recommend a detailed beginner's guide. It features a clear diagram of the crown and a detailed step-by-step explanation of what to do, complete with pictures.

Necessity of the procedure

When the growth and direction of a fruit tree's branches are unimpeded, they form a spreading, dense crown. Sunlight is restricted from reaching the central part of the foliage, resulting in weak fruit set and poor fruit development.

Thus, the main goal of pruning is to create conditions for maximum yield and to care for the tree. Timely pruning can increase the number of fruiting seasons.

Limiting growth and thinning foliage have a beneficial effect on plant resistance to diseases and pests. Generally, pruning serves three main purposes: increasing light within the foliage, improving air circulation within the crown, and preventing disease. Pruning is also necessary for the following reasons:

1. Crown formation. A tree with a well-formed crown produces a large, stable harvest, is easier to care for, and harvests fruit.
2. Growth regulation. By pruning young shoots to different lengths, you can control the rate of plant development.
3. Eliminating fruiting variability. Gardeners often encounter situations where a tree produces a large harvest one year, but a small one the next, or even no fruit at all. Pear branch training helps eliminate this variability.
4. Fruit improvements. This annual procedure results in larger fruits with a more pronounced flavor.

Optimal timing

Determining the exact time to perform this procedure is difficult. Some gardeners insist that pruning should be done when the outside temperature is below freezing. However, it is definitely done before the first leaves appear. It is also impossible to pinpoint a precise date.

Spring does not come all at once, and due to the changeable weather, warm days begin differently from year to year.

However, it's still possible to estimate the approximate time for pruning. It depends on the climate zone where the tree is located. In central Russia, pruning is performed as early as late March or the first week of April. In southern regions, where winters are shorter, work begins a month earlier. In colder climates, trees are pruned closer to late April or early May.

Technique

Experienced gardeners perform crown shaping and rejuvenation themselves. Beginners or amateurs should initially learn from professionals or better understand the nuances of the procedure. Incorrect pruning can cause disease or death of the tree. Gardeners must have the necessary equipment and understand the tree's structure, the proper procedures, and how to protect the cuts.

Necessary tools

It's best to prepare tools and auxiliary materials in advance. Missing or malfunctioning tools can delay the start of pruning by several days. In this case, you might not be able to complete the work within the optimal timeframe. You'll need the following tools:

1. Garden pruning shears and loppers. They are used to trim thin branches.
2. A sharp knife. This is necessary for trimming very thin branches.
3. A hacksaw. It's used to cut down thick branches and the trunk.
4. Pruning shears with extension for working with the upper part of the tree.
5. Ladder.
6. A protective compound for protecting fresh cuts. You can use oil paint, natural drying oil, linseed oil, brilliant green, or other substances.

The structure and structure of wood

For a pear tree to develop properly, it must have a balanced crown. This means the main branches should be directed in different directions from the tree's vertical axis, and their size and weight should be approximately equal.

This design will ensure an even distribution of the center of gravity, preventing the pear from leaning to one side, and significantly increasing its stability. Therefore, it's worth studying and understanding the structure of the tree.

What needs to be cut

Before starting work, it's important to carefully examine the tree's structure from all sides, determining which branches are best removed and which ones to leave, based on the balanced structure described above. The very first (main) pruning is performed immediately after planting the seedling. This increases the plant's branching and encourages the formation of fruiting branches. Water suckers, which form abundantly after winter dormancy, are removed separately.

Rules

When working, determine the order in which branches are to be cut. First, remove the shoots that have formed from the trunk. Then, begin trimming the vertical branches. When using cutting tools, be mindful of your movements and monitor the position of nearby shoots.

A slight misstep can damage the tree's delicate bark. A shallow cut will take a long time to heal. If branches larger than 3 cm in diameter need to be cut, first trim them from the underside, then from the top. This will help prevent the remaining branch from splitting.

Protection of cuts

When removing unwanted parts, exposed wood remains, not covered by bark. These areas must be protected with special compounds to prevent water absorption and rot. Smaller diameter damage will allow the tree to recover more easily. However, if the branch is no larger than 30 mm, there is no need to apply a protective compound. For larger branches, only the outer edge needs to be treated. The sealant will protect the cambium from excessive moisture loss.

Types of pruning

Pruning young shoots and old branches is one of the most important tree care procedures. Depending on the pear tree's age, there are formative, rejuvenating, and sanitary pruning procedures. These procedures help the tree develop properly, produce fruit longer, and produce a more abundant harvest. To understand the strategy, scraps, it is necessary to take into account that throughout their life, plants go through certain stages of age-related development.

Formative

A procedure aimed at achieving a proper, spreading crown and a strong tree skeleton. Only young plants undergo this procedure, and only in the spring. Shaping begins in the nursery, where the tree is shaped to meet standard requirements. Basic rules:

1. First, determine the approximate size of the mature tree's crown. If it's planted near a house, the spreading branches should not shade the windows. When planting a pear tree near a pedestrian path or a traffic area, the lower shoots should be trained so they don't obstruct the view.
2. During pruning, they try to obtain a straight, vertical trunk with a balanced crown.
3. A temporary top is formed on the seedling. The permanent top will appear when the tree reaches the desired size. Subsequently, the temporary top and the crown around it are removed. As the central shoot grows, its direction is monitored, and the second stem is removed when the main one begins to bifurcate.
4. Remove severely curved branches growing along the crown. They can shade other shoots, causing them to dry out and die.
5. Thin out the crown. A large number of branches in a single whorl negatively impacts the development of a mature tree. As the shoots thicken, they begin to grow together and intertwine. Removing them at this age is problematic, as it can cause significant damage and potentially allow infection to penetrate the trunk.
6. Pruning of pears is carried out before they reach 20-25 years.

Sparsely tiered crown

The tree structure is closest to its natural form. Branches are arranged in horizontal groups—fruiting tiers. Plant training begins at one year of age. On a young tree, the trunk zone is measured at a distance of 0.5 m from the soil surface.

Leaving the tree shorter is not recommended: low-growing branches will interfere with the maintenance of the pear orchard. Leaving the trunk too tall is also undesirable. In summer, it will be exposed to direct sunlight, causing thermal burns, and in winter, frost cracks may develop.

Measure another 30 cm from the edge of the trunk. This will be the first tier of main branches. All shoots above this point are removed. Only one well-developed bud is left, located directly above the thorn cut. This is necessary to ensure the trunk is perfectly vertical.

The cut is made above the bud with a sharp knife at a 30° angle to the shoot axis. This procedure must be performed with extreme care: avoid leaving a stump that is too long or trimming the base excessively. If the gardener is unsure of success, a shoot about 10 cm long can be left. This shoot will be used to tie the new shoot to this thorn.

In summer, check for shoots on the trunk. If they have grown, pinch them off above the fourth leaf. After this, their development will stop, but they will contribute to the trunk's growth and the formation of the lower row of skeletal branches.

The following year, the overgrown shoots are also removed from the trunk. Three thick branches are left in the area where the skeletal branches are located, oriented symmetrically relative to the tree's axis. The first is placed at trunk level, and the subsequent branches are spaced approximately 15 cm apart. The desired orientation of the branches is at an angle of 120° to each other.

If shoots have formed on the trunk, growing parallel to it, they should be removed. These are competing branches that grow just as quickly, but they are not suitable as main branches. As they grow larger, the shoots may break off, damaging the main trunk.

In addition to competitors, other strong branches that are not part of the tree's core are completely removed. The cut is made at the base, where a circular swelling has formed. This is where the gardening term "pruning to the ring" comes from. This swelling contains many active cells capable of rapid division. Thanks to these cells, the damage is quickly repaired.

Short branches (up to 30 cm long) are best left alone. Most of them are more inclined to fruiting than to grow. Beginning gardeners are unaware of this and prune everything in the same manner, confident they are doing the right thing. The main branches receive additional attention. To ensure their uniform development, they are given individual conditions. The ends of the shoots are left at approximately the same level.

Longer branches are bent towards the ground, while shorter ones, on the contrary, are raised upward.

The following year, a second fruiting tier is formed. Three skeletal branches are left in the same manner, diverging at an angle of approximately 120°. The distance to the lower tier is 50-60 cm. The main branches are aligned with each other to form a uniform crown.

Competitors and excess strong shoots are pruned. Strong shoots left over from the previous spring are left alone, but if they become a nuisance, they are cut back to the ring. A year later, another main branch is planted 40 cm above the two second-tier branches. This completes the formation of the crown's skeleton.

Cup-shaped crown

In a crown of this shape, the main branches emerge from a single point. Three to four strong shoots, arranged symmetrically relative to the tree's axis, are selected for shaping. Gardeners distinguish between a standard and an improved cup-shaped crown. In the latter, the skeletal branches are arranged compactly but at a small distance from one another. Pears with improved crowns have greater strength and excellent air and light conditions within the foliage.

Pear tree shaping begins in the first year after planting. The strongest, symmetrically arranged branches are selected. The lower branch is positioned 50-60 cm above the ground to form the trunk. The upper branch should preferably face north to prevent the crown from stretching toward the sun. Anything above it, including the leading branch, should be removed.

The following spring, pruning is reduced to a minimum. This promotes faster crown expansion and accelerates fruiting. Some gardeners forego pruning altogether, but young trees always have shoots growing in the wrong direction. Therefore, it's best to remove them early in the process, but skeletal branches are pruned very little or not at all. Two strong shoots are left on them.

From these, second-order skeletal branches will form. Competitors to the conductors are removed "on the ring."

In the third year, the plant is carefully inspected, assessing the growth of the skeletal branches. Based on these results, pruning is performed. Primary branches are shortened if they are diseased or have become vertical. Secondary main branches are removed when they grow faster than primary branches.

All stems that point toward the center or that excessively shade the crown are removed "at the ring" or at two buds. However, it's best not to overdo it: the center of the tree shouldn't be empty; strong shoots should be evenly distributed within it.

Sanitary

Preventative care is performed to improve plant development, accelerate vegetation, and promote early fruiting. During this process, all excess or damaged shoots are removed. Dried branches are cut back to the base.

Removing them restores the vascular system and stimulates the development of healthy parts of the tree. In addition to damaged branches, branches growing inward or vertically upward are removed.

The former will create additional shading, while the latter may not be able to withstand the weight of the fruit and break.

Supportive

This type of pruning begins before the crown is fully formed. It allows:

1. To speed up the first fruit production and increase their quantity.
2. Improve the taste of fruits.
3. Increase frost resistance of trees.
4. Make plant care and fruit harvesting easier.
5. Prevent excessive crown growth.
6. Allow free penetration of sunlight and air currents into the leaf mass.
7. Free the specimen from diseased, injured, rubbing branches that interfere with its development and reduce the yield.

Afterwards, all the leaves receive the optimal amount of light, which positively impacts fruiting. If you need to limit the tree's growth, when it reaches the appropriate size, remove the central conductor, thereby redirecting growth to a weaker lateral shoot. Maintenance pruning is recommended to be performed seasonally, but by removing a small number of vegetative parts at a time. This is the only way it will be most effective.

A proper haircut

The pear is a garden crop that requires abundant sunlight at all stages of growth. Formative pruning, along with maintenance and sanitation, is performed. This ensures that all the juices and beneficial compounds are channeled to the fruit.

This positively impacts the taste and marketability of the fruit. Furthermore, proper pear cultivation will limit the pear's upward growth, making harvesting easier.

Young tree

Pruning is carried out the following year after planting, when the seedlings have established themselves and become strong. The first pruning procedure is the most critical: it determines the formation of the trunk, skeletal branches, and crown.

Pruning young pear trees is done in the spring, when the plant awakens and has the strength it needs to heal any damage and resist disease. Furthermore, shortening shoots by a quarter increases branching and the formation of fruiting shoots.

Mature pear tree

The main rule when pruning a fruit-bearing plant is to do no harm. If the tree is seriously damaged, it will have to expend energy on recovery. This will lead to a reduced fruit yield and a deterioration in its flavor.

Once the pear tree is established, internal shoots that overly shade the crown are removed, and the central trunk is shortened by a quarter. Furthermore, the length of the skeletal branches is limited, trimmed to the same size, and competing branches are removed.

Old tree

This type of pear is rejuvenated to restore its ability to bear fruit. The resulting fruit grows healthier and juicier. This is how gardeners artificially improve the quality of the fruit.

Rejuvenation pruning is necessary to create a cup-shaped crown with an open center. This ensures good air circulation and allows more sunlight to reach the leaves, which benefits future harvests.

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The rejuvenation process for an old pear tree begins with crown thinning. Dry, damaged branches are removed from the central part. They are pruned to the ring, and the cut area is coated with a protective compound.

This will help the tree heal quickly. Young shoots and the trunk are pruned last. It's also best to remove non-fruiting branches growing parallel to the trunk, centered on the crown, and at an acute angle.

Aftercare

Monitoring the health of garden trees, especially young ones, must be regular, thorough, and technically correct. After spring pruning, when temperatures are consistently above zero and the soil has thawed, the soil around the trunk is dug over. This is done carefully to avoid damaging the plant's roots, which are located close to the surface. The loosened soil is then mulched.

A plant weakened over the winter needs to be fertilized with spring fertilizer. After pruning, the tree will need strength to repair the damage. It's best to apply organic or mineral fertilizers without nitrogen. Nitrogen will accumulate rapidly in the pear's porous tissue, affecting the flavor and texture of the fruit. Before the first leaves appear, treat the garden for pests and diseases.

Common mistakes

A common mistake made by novice gardeners is removing only dead and damaged branches. This pruning is based on the belief that the damage will not progress or spread beyond the initial stage. The shoot should be removed down to the first healthy bud. Another mistake is overcrowding the crown. Closely spaced branches will begin to rub against each other in gusts of wind.

Pruning to the bud is a complex procedure that can be challenging for novice gardeners. Beginners often make mistakes, such as leaving a large stump, over-trimming the base, or cutting the branch at an angle. Another technique violation is using a dull or dirty tool. A dull or dirty tool will leave deep grooves or burrs in the cut, which can lead to rot. Dirty tools can also cause fungal infections of the cut.