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Pear cordons - August and still waiting for bud break....

Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
in Fruit & veg
Hi - I'm after some advice with my pear cordons.

I ordered 4 cordon pears from Orange Pippin last year.
Williams (Eline rootstock)
Beurre Hardy (Eline)
Concorde (Quince A)
Doyenne du Comice (Eline)

I prepared the whole area in Spring last year - digging over and digging in well rotted manure over the whole bed.
The cordons arrived in November and I planted them the following day. Around the same time I also planted other soft fruits and an apple (from a different supplier).
Come spring 3 of the cordons came into leaf, the Williams did not and remained bare.
I've watered them copiously twice a week 10+ gallons each every watering - just leaving the hose sprinkling around the root area.
Orange Pippin suggested giving more water in this drought, so I have been watering copiously every other day.

Of the 3 that did come into leaf, 2 didn't break bud until July (Comice and Concorde) the Beurre Hardy has still not broken bud, but the leaves remain healthy (there is some Pear Rust on a few leaves of all of them).

I contacted Orange Pippin and they will refund for the Williams as by May it hadn't produced any leaves and was plainly dead.

In the same area I also planted blackcurrant bushes, raspberries and a russet apple (not from Orange Pippin) they are all doing well.

Should I persevere with these or start again?
Should I summer prune the shoots that have appeared?

Many thanks

This is the area-


Concorde-

Comice-

Beurre Hardy


Bud on Beurre Hardy-



Billericay - Essex

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Posts

  • IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
    They all look OK to me. I've grown cordons for years and the one that has yet to produce any new growth may be reserving it's energy for some fruit production next year. I presume they were bare rooted? Any fruiting spurs. Some pear varieties / rootstocks aren't as vigerous.
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I have a family pear tree in a very large container, it is 7 yrs old and this year is the first time it has had flowers. No fruit resulted and one of the 3 varieties grafted onto the stock has died, no idea which. Your trees are babies so have patience. Mine is fan trained, I would be inclined to remove the vertical shoots on yours to maintain the shape. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Summer pruning of pears should take place from late July onwards ... did mine last week ... apples are usually ready for summer pruning a bit later in August.

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=212

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Thank you all for your replies, I'm more reassured.
    I was expecting them all to come into leaf then start growing, but nothing happened.
    The new growth you can see on the 2 of them only started about mid-July should I prune that now?
    I was going to order a Merton Pride to replace the dead one, do you reckon the Beurre Hardy is likely to spring into growth next year, or should I bite the bullet and get a replacement BH too?



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think they’re doing all that can be expected of them in their first year .  Especially in a year such as this has been.  The growth is going on underground - root development is needed before it can support top growth. 

    Summer prune new growth back to 3 leaves from the basal cluster. 
    Google RHS summer pruning cordon apples and pears for more info. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Thanks Dove - I was uncertain if I should prune or let them grow for a bit, but I'll give them a snip tomorrow.
    I pruned my apples a couple of weeks ago.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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