Young Pear Tree Help!
Magical Meerkat
Posts: 294
Hello,
I bought this conference pear tree 2-3 years ago for £3 reduced in homebase. We moved house a year ago and it came with us because it was still small. So it's only been in the ground for 1 year in it's current position, I wasn't expecting flowers for years!
I pruned it for the first time this winter and I noticed yesterday it was starting to sprout flower buds. Should I remove these? or is it ok to leave them? I'm not sure it's strong enough yet, to support fruit. Please help.
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Posts
I'd let it flower. If it sets fruit, take them all off except one. That shouldn't harm the tree and it will give you a taste of what is to come.
Ooh thank you, that's a great idea. I can almost taste it now. Luckily the boyfriend doesn't like pears, so I get to eat it all.
Yes - I'd let it flower but not fruit....much
Unless you want a big tree I'd also prune it in the winter, taking out the leader to encourage the development of a 'bush' form with branches at a convenient height.
Conference is reputed to be self-fertile: I'd be interested to hear your experience of this, when it happens!