Grow Your Own Magazine

I have a container grown (dual) Pear Tree, but it is growing upwards not outwards. When is the best time to prune it to make a better shape? It has produced fruit the past couple of years. The container is very large so I dont think it is root bound and the tree looks healthy.
If I do prune it severly will I lose the fruit for next year? Advice appreciated. Thanks.--Kathie

Sorry Kathie, I really don't know anything about container grown pears. All I know is that pear trees take a very long time to come to maturity and bear worthwhile fruit. The old maxim is "plant pears for your heirs". I look forward to any info other grapes can provide for growing them in containers (my husband loves pears and i would be delighted to grow some for him). Please do let us know how you get on - I have added pears to my things to grow list.

Hello Alice, Thanks for your reply.I bought this 'dual pear tree' from a catalogue (Cant remember the name- could be Suttons or similar) about three years ago.When I find out a bit more I could post a message on this board for you. I do remember that it was in flower the first year with half a dozen pears on it. Since then it has produced quite alot more, but not very large in size but eatable and juicy.
I have grown Apple trees in containers for a number of years and manage to get a good return in produce.(Arther Turner-Cooker and the others are eaters)
Will keep in touch and let you know how I get on. Best Wishes---Kathie

Hi Kathie,
Get hold of a copy of the "Fruit Expert" by Hessayon that should tell you when to prune.

You may have to thin the fruit out if you want them to grow to any size as they've got a resrticted root run in the pot.

I assume you feed the trees do you ?

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Hi Kathie, if your pear is a 'dual pear' it's probably one of the types that are supposed to grow upright like ballerina apple trees & has been trained to grow fruiting spurs off one upright stem & not spread. If that's the case you might have trouble training it to grow bushier but it probably can be done with the right pruning. As long as you don't completely cut off any of the fruiting spurs (where the fruit grew from this year) you should be alright. I have a 'step over' pear which is sort of the opposite of yours in that it is trained as just a branch growing out to either side low to the ground with fruiting spurs growing off it & I just cut back the long whippy growth to about 3 or 4 buds on each spur around this time of year.

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Hello Sue/Nick Sorry it has taken me so long to reply--I've been away for a while and when I have returned back on the Grapevine I didnt know how to return to this thread--
Thanks for your advice on 'Pruning a Pear Tree' I think Sue has got it spot-on- The tree was a dual one and bought as a 'container grown one' and could very well be trained to grow upright, so will follow your advice--Nick-I already have the Fruit Expert by Hessayon but couldnt find what I was looking for with pruning but found the book very useful- Thanks once again-