Bradford pear trees

[T A Derrickson]

Any tips on the best way to trim Bradford pear trees?  They have finished their bloom and are now leafing out. I want make sure that they maintain structural integrity.

Thanks!

[chep]

I recomend a basal prune for bradford pears ;D In my experience they have the worst structure ever and are prone to fail at crotches in high wind or snow loads...

Try to make the cuts out toward the tips reducing them to good laterals. If they are young then try to encourae good branch structure. No tight V crotches if possible. I have seen interesting pieces of wood placed as spreaders in young trees to get the branches to extend further horizontally.

Seriously though, I cut them down if I can and replant with better species. I love the Amelanchier (shad, serviceberry etc) species.

[SPIKER]

They are good for cross pollinating other pear species, & as described above on trimming them.   Lots of info available at state extension agencies look at your state ag extension.   Or check into Ohio, Pa or Ky as they also run good sites.

It is best to trim them prior to them budding up too much (wastes tree's energy) and once sap is flowing the healing takes longer as sap runs out & over tree.   I also use trimmed branches to force a tight V apart some and as it grows it will be a better branch.   I topped 1 of my trees this year as Bradford tend to grow tight and UP fast.   Trim off any branches that cross and try to open up the center some so fruit and light can get into middle of tree.

Someplace last year I had some posts on Apple Trimming and included photos of the pear in question.   I have some pics of my trees this year but using old camera phone the pics of branches are no where near worth posting.

here are some pics of my bartlets, I topped those straight up shoots all out back to some horz branches on BOTH of them this year vs last year when the photos were taken.






mark

[chep]

If you want your pear trees to have really poor form for the future top them like the above picture... Topping is not a long term solution. Either make good reduction cuts or cut em down. Once topped they will have really poor structure and look like garbage for a long long time

[chain]

I recomend a basal prune for bradford pears ;D In my experience they have the worst structure ever and are prone to fail at crotches in high wind or snow loads...

Try to make the cuts out toward the tips reducing them to good laterals. If they are young then try to encourae good branch structure. No tight V crotches if possible. I have seen interesting pieces of wood placed as spreaders in young trees to get the branches to extend further horizontally.

Seriously though, I cut them down if I can and replant with better species. I love the Amelanchier (shad, serviceberry etc) species.

I was going to recommend the D-8 dozer  for pruning the Bradfords. :D I believe the Bradford pear is listed as an invasive here in the Show-me State; and I  can readily attest of witnessing hundreds of acres of idled pasture and old fields  infested with the Bradfords.

But as you suggested, why not Serviceberry, or the regal Flowering Dogwood? The dogwood seems to take its own care with branches so spaced as to display the beauty of the lovely white springtime blossoms. Although late this year, the FDs are blooming in profusion, hopefully lots of red berries for all the critters of the woods.