Pruning The Pear Tree In The Summer - Trying New Pruners
I like to prune my fruit trees in the Summer and in the early Spring (sometimes late Winter). This doesn't happen every season because it's largely dependent on when I have time!
Summer Pruning
At this time of year there is lots of green on the trees. I like to imagine that the leaves are solar panels that are charging batteries. The battery bank is the root system. If I remove some solar panels the batteries can't get as much charge. This helps me control how much energy is being stored for growth in the Spring. There are some cases where I want to allow a tree maximum charge for maximum growth in the Spring. There are other cases where I like to limit the growth. For this tree in this video the growth needs limited. This tree tends to put on LOADS of green growth, but limited fruit. My theory is that by trimming it way back in the Summer I'm reducing how much it can expand in the next season.
Spring (late Winter) Pruning
Most of the pruning that I do at this time of year is simply for shaping the tree. The batteries have already charged all last season. It is waiting patiently to wake up to make fruit. When I shape the tree at this time of year I'm directing the stored energies and creating a size and shape that I desire for my orchard. I like to keep the trees pretty low for easy harvesting.
The Pruners
With a bit of embarrassment I'll admit that I'm kinda cheap. My pruners have been clearance rack specials. They have done the job ok, but they aren't that great. This time I was privileged to try these new heavy duty pruners made by Planted Perfect. They were pretty nice. Certainly nicer than any I've ever used before. The one drawback was the weak rubber coating on the handles, but otherwise I really like these pruners.
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Wow, I've learned something today, thanks for sharing!
There is a rubber type product you can dip the handles in and I have found it lasts a long time. Resteemit, upvote!
Plasti Dip! :) I've been known to fix a tractor seat with it... ;) Good stuff!
Thats the product!
Go @daddykirbs!
You obviously have a better understanding of how to work "with" nature by understanding it than a lot of people today who attack it with reckless abandon, chopping and slashing.
You guide and shape.
You are truly the Steward of your land.
hi @daddykirbs
great post i like that
@ravivshachar
Do you seal the cut after you prune?
I don't. I spoke with several local orchard experts. They all claim that it is not needed. That is not the same with Oak trees. I do cover those wounds.
Thanks for the info, I have to prune our peach tree and was wondering if it was needed.
Thanks for showing how you prune, and showing the trick with weighing down the limbs on the trees!
Very informative information. I did not know which to cut before. My son wanted to try growing pears and apple trees from seed. we have 1 pear and three apple seedlings that took. Thank you.
Pears like to grow straight up in my opinion. These long swooping branches on my tree are from me using these shaping techniques for the past 6 years. I probably have made some mistakes according to the pros, but it's my tree and I'll cut how I wanna! Ha... so far it's working. You can look up how it "should" be done, then start experimenting.
im just happy ours sprouted lol
That's very a very informative video @daddykirbs . Do you have any good tips on taking care of weeds in the garden ? Having issues with them and I'm not really a fan of using weed killers.
the dip is called plasti dip. Interesting it's kinda the same material I use in screen printing Tshirts!
I use summer pruning a lot. My younger apple and plum trees, especially, put on so much growth every year. It's the only way to keep them balanced. And with cherry, peach, and Asian pears, they are so susceptible to disease carried in our cool, spring rains here in the Pacific Northwest. So warm weather pruning is better for them - and that means summer. Happy pruning!