Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog
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Quote from Igrowpotatoes on 15th March 2025, 11:01 pm
Hi I’m Neil from Vancouver BC. Question about pruning a mature pear tree please: The background on this tree is that I don’t know what I’m doing so when I moved into this house I pruned this very neglected tree back, and continued to cut it back every early spring to the same point, and it therefore formed knuckles at the end of the branches. I’m smarter now and my question then is: It hasn’t been pruned in 3 years, therefore the vertical newish branches are 3 years old, and can I take more than recommended 1/3 off? Like 2/3 perhaps?
Also, its mid March and tiny buds are present. Am I too late?
thanks
Hi I’m Neil from Vancouver BC. Question about pruning a mature pear tree please: The background on this tree is that I don’t know what I’m doing so when I moved into this house I pruned this very neglected tree back, and continued to cut it back every early spring to the same point, and it therefore formed knuckles at the end of the branches. I’m smarter now and my question then is: It hasn’t been pruned in 3 years, therefore the vertical newish branches are 3 years old, and can I take more than recommended 1/3 off? Like 2/3 perhaps?
Also, its mid March and tiny buds are present. Am I too late?
Thanks for your question about mature pear tree pruning. A lot of gardeners can be intimidated by mature trees and not wanting to harm them through pruning. The trick to pear tree pruning is to not fear the cuts, it's just timing them properly.
As a rule of thumb, winter pear tree pruning cuts stimulate growth, so cause further growth below the cut.
Summer pear tree pruning curtails growth and slows down the overall spread of the tree.
With your pear tree you can definitely take off up to 1/2. Nip them back now before they are in full bloom, or wait until after fruiting.
My guidance is that each year you don't want to take it back to the same cut as last year or you end up with knuckles or lignified growth, it's not good for the tree. If you need to reduce the height you can take mature branches way back. So thin of it as letting the tree develop and get bigger each year, but every 5 or 6 years taking out any branches that have simply become too big, rather than cutting them back to the same spot each year.
Thanks for your question about mature pear tree pruning. A lot of gardeners can be intimidated by mature trees and not wanting to harm them through pruning. The trick to pear tree pruning is to not fear the cuts, it's just timing them properly.
As a rule of thumb, winter pear tree pruning cuts stimulate growth, so cause further growth below the cut.
Summer pear tree pruning curtails growth and slows down the overall spread of the tree.
With your pear tree you can definitely take off up to 1/2. Nip them back now before they are in full bloom, or wait until after fruiting.
My guidance is that each year you don't want to take it back to the same cut as last year or you end up with knuckles or lignified growth, it's not good for the tree. If you need to reduce the height you can take mature branches way back. So thin of it as letting the tree develop and get bigger each year, but every 5 or 6 years taking out any branches that have simply become too big, rather than cutting them back to the same spot each year.
I got the same problem with my pear tree, when pruning always on the same place I ended up having large knuckles… This time I decided to cut it much deeper and even had to get rid of those longer branches.
It is always good to keep trees under control and well trimmed 😉
Thank you Lee for your great advice
I got the same problem with my pear tree, when pruning always on the same place I ended up having large knuckles… This time I decided to cut it much deeper and even had to get rid of those longer branches.
It is always good to keep trees under control and well trimmed 😉
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