How to Prune Pears

Pruning pear trees allows the gardener to shape the tree for optimal fruit production, according to North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Also, damaged, dead and diseased wood must be removed from the pear tree to restore its health. Prune late in the dormant season or in the winter. Avoid pruning in the late fall to prevent winter injury. To reduce causing tears or wounds, keep your pruning tools such as bypass shears and pruning saw sharp.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning saw
• Bypass shears
• Spray bottle
• Denatured alcohol
• Rake

Instructions

1. Remove competing leaders from the tree to achieve a strong central trunk. Competing leaders are vertically growing branches located at the top of the tree. These branches cause the pear tree to become unbalanced. Cut these branches back to the main central trunk near the branch collar. The branch collar is the swelling that attaches a branch to the trunk.

2. Cut off interior branches to allow more air and light to enter the tree. Lack of air can raise the risk of your pear tree contracting a fungal disease.

3. Take off any branches that rub against each other, growing inward or extending outside of the designated growing location. Trim branches back to healthy outward-growing buds.

4. Sterilize your pruning tools with a mixture of 70 percent denatured alcohol and 30 percent water to remove diseased branches. Spray in between cuts to prevent spreading diseases. Cut off areas that exhibit signs of fungal disease, such as cankers (swellings) on branches, discolored leaves or distorted growth.

5. Dig a hole next to suckers. Suckers are branches growing from the root ball of the pear tree. These branches use up important nutrients and moisture meant for the main trunk of the pear tree. Make a pruning cut flush with the root ball. Replace the soil.

Tips & Warnings

• Check for whorls on your pear tree. Whorls are branches that originate at the same location on the sides of the tree. Pick the strongest branch and prune off the others, as recommended by Ohio State University Extension.

• Rake up all dead debris under your pear tree after pruning. Fungal diseases and pests can spend the winter in the debris. In the spring, fungal spores germinate and pests hatch, leaving your pear tree at risk for an infestation.

References

• Ohio State University Extension; Pruning Mature Apples and Pears; Pete Lane
• North Carolina State University Extension; Training and Pruning Fruit Trees; Michael L. Parker