Can this pear tree be rescued?

My partner and I recently moved into a new house - hopefully our forever home! - and on one side of the back garden was a load of clematis (I think) that had got out of control.

While I was cutting the clematis back, I discovered a pear tree which had been swamped by it. It’s a bit pathetic looking, but there were two pears on it.

Clearly it’s only grown leaves where it had a chance at any sunlight.

Any ideas how I can get it ship shape? Or is it a lost cause?

 

Oh. Thought I’d uploaded the photo. Followed the guide in the new members section but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Any ideas?

 

Second attempt…

 

Yes, it’s not quite Chelsea flower show is it?

Plants are remarkably resilient. I’d approach the “dead” looking twigs first (not branches, just twigs) and see if they are indeed dead. Bend them and if they snap they're dead. If they bend, they are just feeling sorry for themselves and will grow leaves next spring. If the twigs are dead, then you can test thicker twigs and then branches for life. Stop if they are alive and wait until the spring.

As to the shape, that is going to take time to rebuild.

 

Yes further to the above, if you scrape a little bark on a branch if its green underneath then it's alive. Clear the ground underneath so it has no other competition for water and nutrients. In autumn when the soil is nice and damp apply a thick mulch of compost or very well rotted manure around the base but not touching the trunk. Wait till spring to see which branches come into leaf.

 

Seems brutal but I'd just cut it back hard over winter, not now, to where the stem goes sideways.
It should then put up some decent shoots next year that you can work with.

As it is its never going to be a decent shape or stable tree.

Clear the stem of all that rubbish as well, a nice straight stick to start next year with.

 

Thanks - I’d sort of intuitively started trying the lower twigs already. Only one or two. I’ll give the rest a go.

Clearing the surrounding ground is one of my jobs for this weekend!

So in the winter, cut it back so it’s basically a vertical stick coming out of the ground? I assume shoots could sprout from the top of that then?

 

Well its likely to sprout buds in various places down the stem, you can rub off the lower ones and leave a few Well spaced ones near the top.

That's bearing in mind you want it to turn into a standard tree.

 

I would leave it alone until next year if you are unsure. Yes, clear the ground around it and give it a good mulch of farm yard manure as above. Wait until next year to see where the leaves appear, that will guide you to where to remove crossing stems and dead ones as well. It will take 3-4 years to recover, maybe shortening branches for a year or two.

 

Yeah, I don’t think I’m going to look to train it sideways or anything like that.

Yes, definitely a longer-term project and not a quick fix.

I’ve secured the tree for now, so hopefully the lopsidedness won’t be too much of an issue in strong winds etc.

I think my plan going forward is as follows:

- keep clearing the surrounding area
- snap off dead twigs
- see what it does next year, and depending on that, potentially a harsh cut back the following winter

Thanks all!

 

I agree with the hard prune idea. However I would get on with it this winter, you will get fruit a year earlier. I pruned back hard an espalier apple tree of my sister's which had grown out (ie. removed ALL the branches to the main trunk) and it has grown back well, fruiting in the second year afterwards. I must admit I was crossing fingers but it was very successful. I am now thinking of doing the same to a pear which is old and doesn't fruit much any more.
Have a think whether you want a bush type tree with branches coming out low down or a standard tree, ie. as we would think a tree normally looks with a trunk and cut the trunk across just above where you want the branches to grow from. Cut those spindly lower branches right off.
Next spring you will have lots of shoots which you may have to thin out. Choose 3 or 4 of the strongest growing and these will make the new branches. The rest remove completely. Good luck!

 

Thank you!

 

I would give serious thought as to whether its in the best position. If not and you have the ability, it might pay to relocate it;or simply replace it. The likes of B&M sell reasonable fruit trees each year for little money and may give you a more satisfactory tree.

 

I did consider moving it, but now that all the foliage around it has been cleared, I don’t think the position is too bad. Time will tell, of course. Seems a shame to replace it - I’d like to give it a chance after it’s battled the clematis for who-knows-how-long!