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Among the many types of fruit trees grown in Our Country, the pear occupies one of the first places. Many gardeners love her for the variety of varieties, high yields and unpretentiousness. However, in order to fully unleash the full potential of this tree, it is necessary to carry out certain care activities. These include autumn pear pruning.
Is it possible to cut a pear in autumn
Many gardeners avoid autumn pruning, citing the fact that this procedure reduces the winter hardiness of trees. It really is. Therefore, young pears are not pruned in autumn, as well as varieties with poor winter hardiness. Otherwise, spring and autumn pruning are identical, both are carried out while the tree is at rest.
In autumn, it is more advisable to prune mature trees, since there is no danger of missing deadlines, and the whole procedure can be carried out slowly. Weather conditions at this time, as a rule, are much better than spring ones, at this time there is no dirt underfoot, and the air temperature is more comfortable.
When and in what month to cut a pear in the fall
Pruning pear is done during the period when it is already in hibernation. The fact that the tree has passed into the dormant phase is indicated by the end of leaf fall. It is at this time, when the crop is harvested, and before the frost is still quite a long time, and you need to do pruning. In different regions, this period falls on different times. In the central part of Our Country, for example, in the Moscow region, pear pruning is carried out in early September, in more southern regions this period is September or even early October.
How to prune a pear tree in autumn
Before carrying out the autumn pruning of a pear, it is necessary to prepare a garden tool. All cutting edges must be sharpened, because the cleaner and smoother the cut, the faster it heals. To trim a pear you will need:
- pruner;
- garden hacksaw;
- cutter.
All of them must be disinfected before work. For this, you can use a fungicide solution, for example, copper sulfate, or any alcohol-containing liquid.
In addition, you need to stock up on garden pitch. They cover all the places of cuts with a diameter of more than 2-2,5 cm. It is advisable to use a garden pitch on a natural basis, made, for example, from fir resin. Putties based on petroleum products are undesirable. And you can also cover the sections with oil paint on drying oil, in extreme cases – with a mixture of mullein and clay.
Autumn pruning includes two main operations:
- Thinning.
- Shortening.
Thinning the crown of a pear is the main operation that is carried out in the autumn. This is done to lighten the inner space of the tree, as well as for sanitary purposes, removing dried, diseased, broken and damaged branches. Pruning promotes side shoot growth and is done to limit growth and maintain the existing crown shape.
How to rejuvenate an old pear in autumn
An adult pear is a powerful sprawling tree of rather great height. Her shoot formation is much more intense than that of an apple tree. If you miss 1-2 seasons, the crown of the tree will be very dense. Therefore, it is very important to trim the pear regularly. At the same time, it is important to preserve the formed fruit tiers in accordance with the principle of subordination, that is, not to allow the branches of the lower tier to grow higher than the higher one.
An approximate scheme for pruning an old pear in autumn is shown in the figure below.
Thinning the crown is done with a pruner and a hacksaw. Broken, affected, improperly growing and thickening branches are removed. Shoots with a thickness of 3 cm or more are removed with a hacksaw, the largest ones are pre-sawed from the bottom so as not to cause scuffing of the bark when breaking off. At the same time, the annual growth is shortened by 1/3 or ¼, depending on the strength of growth, using a pruner. At the same time, the direction of growth of the bud, on which the shoot is pruned, changes from year to year so that the branch grows in a zigzag pattern.
It should be remembered that the pear will spend part of the nutrients stored for the winter on healing wounds. In order not to greatly weaken the tree before the onset of frost, significant pruning must be carried out in parts. Large branches for several seasons are first shortened and then removed completely.
How to prune a two-year-old pear in the fall
In the first autumn, the pear seedling is not pruned, this can weaken it very much. For two-year-old pears in autumn, pruning is reduced to shortening by a quarter of the annual growth, and also at this time the central conductor is cut so that it is 0,25 m above the level of the upper tier of skeletal branches.
How to cut a three-year-old pear in the fall
Pruning pear of the third year of life in the fall is carried out according to the same scheme as in the second year. Together with the shortening of the annual growth, the inner space of the crown is cleared, the branches growing inward, downward, crossing each other, tops and competing shoots are removed. By the third year, the first fruit layer should finally be formed.
Pruning a columnar pear in autumn
Autumn pruning of the columnar pear is usually not difficult and comes down to maintaining the damage in the existing shape and size, as well as removing dry, broken and diseased branches. Due to the high ability of the pear to shoot, it is necessary to pay special attention to branches growing deep into the crown and remove them in a timely manner. If these shoots are not touched, the interior of the pear will very soon turn into a ball of stems tightly intertwined with each other. This will disrupt air exchange, reduce yields, and can also lead to diseases.
How to shape a pear in autumn
Pear formation is carried out from the moment of planting until the age of 4-5 years. As a rule, this is a sparse-tiered method, in which two fruit tiers are formed. By the 5th year of life, the active growth of shoots slows down, and subsequent pruning is done only in order to maintain the crown in the required dimensions.
Pear pruning in autumn for beginners in pictures
The figure below shows the process of formation of a sparse-tiered crown of a pear tree over the years of life.
When pruning a pear in autumn, certain rules must be observed. Removal or pruning of the shoot is done in one of three ways:
- Trimming “on the ring”. Represents the complete removal of the shoot along the base of the annular influx in the place where its growth begins. The correct removal of the shoot “on the ring” and typical errors when performing this procedure are shown in the figure below.
- Pruning on a promising bud. It is carried out to regulate or change the direction of shoot growth. A cut on a promising kidney is carried out parallel to the axis of its growth, while the cut should start above the level of the kidney and end just above its top point. Pruning the shoot to the kidney is shown in the figure below.
- Pruning “for a promising escape”. It is used to transfer the direction of growth to a shoot growing in the right direction. It is performed using the same technology as kidney pruning.
The basic principles for thinning and lightening the inner space of the crown are presented in the following figure.
Tree care after pruning
Autumn pruning weakens the tree, making it more vulnerable to frost and adverse weather conditions. It should not be carried out if less than a month remains before the onset of cold weather, since in this case there is a possibility that a weakened plant simply will not survive the winter. You should also not cut off a significant part of the crown, because wound healing takes not only time, it is also the consumption of nutrients stored by the tree for wintering.
After pruning, all sections must be treated with garden pitch. Sawn branches must be collected and burned. This is especially true for old trees, as well as for pears, on which the appearance of diseases or pests was noted during the season.
How to prepare a pear for winter
The pear has good frost resistance, but some of its varieties, as well as young trees, need additional protection measures in the winter. First of all, these include whitewashing the trunk and lower skeletal branches. This is an effective preventive measure that will help avoid sunburn and frostbite. Whitewash serves as a good protection against rodents and hares.
As a bleaching composition, you can use a solution of slaked lime. For resistance to atmospheric moisture, it is recommended to add PVA glue to the composition. It is possible to whitewash trees with acrylic water-dispersion paint. However, it should be remembered that whitewash impairs the air exchange of the tree bark, so seedlings and young trees need to be whitewashed only with a “breathing” composition.
Trunk circles must be cleaned of fallen leaves and fruit rot; many insect pests and their larvae hibernate in this environment. After cleaning, the root zone is dug up, spilled with water and covered with a layer of peat or humus mulch. It is advisable to add a little potash and phosphorus fertilizers, this will increase winter hardiness.
Young pear seedlings that do not have good winter hardiness must be covered. This is especially true in the northern regions. You can use any breathable material for this, for example, agrofibre or burlap.
An additional insulating element can be spruce branches, which are tied around the trunk.
Preparing a pear for winter in the Moscow region
Winters in the Moscow region are not severe, especially in recent years. However, changeable weather can bring surprises, and you should prepare for this in advance. All measures to prepare the pear for winter in the middle lane must be completed in full. Young trees must be covered. This can be done, for example, using conventional thermal insulation for pipes.
It will well protect the trees from the cold wind and at the same time will not interfere with the access of air to the trunk. You can restrict access to hares by installing a metal mesh fence around the trunk.
Preparing a pear for winter in Siberia
The early arrival of winter makes autumn pruning of pears in Siberia impractical. The harsh winter is a severe test for the fruit trees grown in this region. Therefore, it is not worth further weakening them in the pre-winter period. All young trees must be insulated before wintering. As a rule, a temporary shelter is built around the seedlings, which is a wooden frame covered with non-woven fabric or parchment.
Seedlings can be insulated with white polypropylene bags, in which there is no bottom. Such a bag is put on a tree from above, and the interior is stuffed with straw or shavings.
Spruce branches can also be used as an additional heat-insulating layer.
Gardeners’ recommendations
Experienced gardeners when pruning pears in the fall recommend that beginners adhere to the following rules:
- Thorough preparation is the key to success. It is necessary to inspect the trees in advance and plan the sequence of work.
- There is no exact timing for pruning. You always need to be guided by the weather and climate in the region.
- A good tool is the foundation of a healthy garden. A high-quality sharp instrument causes much less damage, which heals faster.
- Safety first. When working with the tool, all safety rules must be observed, especially when working with the upper tier of the crown.
- Compliance with the principle of subordination. The branches of the lower tier should not be higher than the branches of the higher one.
- It is always better to cut one thick branch than several small ones.
- All work must begin with the upper tier of the crown.
- Pruning tops on a pear can be done not only in the fall, but throughout the season.
Conclusion
Autumn pear pruning is a rather complicated procedure, especially if you perform it for the first time. Therefore, it is advisable to take the help of an experienced mentor. And also you need to remember that violation of the timing of pruning is more likely to bring harm to the tree than good. Therefore, there is no need to rush and strive to do it at all costs. If the deadlines are missed, it is better to properly prepare and hold the event in the spring.
