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Pruning Pleached Pear Trees
Brett Skidmore
Posts: 2
Hi, In the spring of 2015, we had 7 mature Pleached Pear trees added as a border to the rear of out garden. Now that winter is here I am preparing to prune back some of the vertical runners to encourage horizontal growth. I have tried to read up on this subject using the internet - but the pickings are slim.
I would appreciate any advice as currently all I have is:
Cut back any unwanted growth i.e. non horizontal, crossing branches or damaged.
Try to identify and encourage 3-4 lateral growths from the main stem.
Leave the main centre stem to grow?
I am also entertaining buying a tripod/ fruit picking ladder to reach the trees - any advice would be appreciated again.
0
Posts
-I am not an expert on growing fruit trees, but a pleached tree is effectively an espalier on a longer trunk, so the pruning rules for espalier trees should apply.
I would imagine that like espaliers you could decide on the eventual height, so maybe avoid the need for a ladder.
Thank you for the advice.
The trees are nearly the perfect height to give us the privacy we need.
6ft of clear stem with 4-5ft head/ canopy above.
I was worried that the trees seemed to be exerting their energy to grow up, rather than latterly.
I will read the article pruning article with interest before I start in Feb.
Cheers
Last edited: 20 January 2017 19:45:01