How to Trim Cleveland Flowering Pear Trees
Cleveland flowering pear trees should be trimmed in the fall, just prior to the first frost. Generally you will need to do little trimming to a Cleveland flowering pear because of the tree's naturally symmetrical growth. However, there are aberrations and you may want a smaller or more compact shape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Remove any dead or dying branches or any branches that appear diseased. This tree is not susceptible to many insects, so disease is rare. Dead or dying branches should be cut off within an inch of the trunk. Branches less than 1¼ inches in diameter can be cut with the lopers. For larger branches, you may wish to use your saw.
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Cut any branches that are growing in downward and cut any branches that are growing sideways through the center of the tree. Keeping the center of the tree open to light and good air circulation is one of the keys to a healthy tree. Branches trimmed for good air circulation should be cut off within 1 inch of the trunk of the tree.
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Cut branches that cross each other (cut the smaller of these, leaving the larger and the stronger of the two), especially those near the center of the canopy.
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Trim the ends of any branches that stick out, disrupting the natural oval shape of the s canopy. Use loppers for this.
When trimming to shape, cut branches at the edge of the canopy, not near the trunk. This means you may be cutting off only a few inches to perhaps a couple of feet of the end of a few branches. There should be few of these errant branches since this type of tree tends to grow an almost perfectly-shaped canopy naturally. -
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Clean up any dead or diseased branches that are lying on the ground near the base of the tree to prevent the spread of disease.
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Trim the top tip of the tree only if you wish to stop the tree from growing taller and want it to bush out more.
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Tips & Warnings
You may be surprised at how little pruning a Cleveland flowering pear requires. Plant these trees where they are protected from wind as they can be easily damaged in high winds.
