Pear Tree Winter Pruning: Timing and Methods Explained

Winter pruning of pear trees can regulate the relationship between vegetative growth and fruiting, achieving high and stable yields year after year.

????I. Pruning Timing

Carry it out from December after the pear tree sheds its leaves that year until before bud break the following year.

?II. Pruning Methods

First, based on the growth characteristics of pear trees - strong trunk dominance, obvious apical dominance, strong sprouting ability, weak branching ability, and fruiting mainly on short fruit branches - grasp the principle that trees in "on" years and weak trees should be pruned relatively heavily; trees in "off" years and vigorous trees should be lightly pruned or not pruned. Second, prune according to the tree's size and vigor by examining the tree, and especially adopt different pruning methods for different types of branches.

1. Framework branches: For the extension branches on main branches, secondary main branches or other framework branches, pruning should mainly consist of heading back, appropriately increasing the pruning intensity, and adopting measures such as propping, pulling and tying to open the angles of the main branches.

2. Branch groups: These are the fruiting parts. For branch groups that bear fruit year after year, keep the strong and remove the weak, and renew them in time. For branches that are horizontal or slanting, moderately grown and with plump flower buds, still let them grow naturally; for those with too many flower buds and short, weak new shoots, appropriately shorten them, and thin out overly dense and overly weak branches; if the fruiting branch groups are generally weakened, they should be more heavily cut back for renewal.

3. Nurse branches: In places within the canopy where space can be utilized, especially in the gaps between framework branches at all levels, retain as many nurse branches as possible, adopting the method of first leaving them unpruned and then cutting back (that is, one-year-old branches are not pruned in the first year, and in the second year are headed back at the flower buds), or cut them back after fruiting. If they affect the growth of framework branches, they can be handled by increasing the angle, removing vertical branches and keeping slanting ones, removing strong ones and keeping weak ones, and leaving them unpruned to bear fruit.

4. Fruit spurs and short fruit branches: The fruit spurs of pear trees often send out 1 to 3 secondary shoots; when pruning, you may thin one and keep one, or shorten one and keep one, so that they can both bear fruit and serve as reserve branches. For the pruning of short fruit branches, the number of short fruit branches to retain can be determined according to the total load of the whole tree, thinning out surplus short fruit branches; when the tree vigor is relatively weak, attention should be paid to thinning out weak branches and weak buds. In addition, for leaf clusters and branches, it is advisable to keep the strong and remove the weak, and thin out diseased and pest-infested branches, dead and dry branches, and dense weak branches.

????III. Management After Pruning

1. Clean the orchard and disinfect to prevent and control various overwintering diseases and pests. After pruning, spray 3°C to 5°C lime sulfur mixture 1 to 2 times, and use its sediment to whitewash the trunk of the pear tree. At the same time, collect the scraped-off cracked bark, fallen leaves, dead branches, and diseased and pest-damaged residual fruits to burn and bury deeply.

2. In severe winter, cover the orchard ground with plastic film (or weeds, straw, etc.), or use smoke and other methods to prevent cold and freezing damage.

3. After the beginning of spring, apply spring fertilizer and irrigate early to improve flowering quality.