Chop off the top of pear tree?

[buckabucka]

In the past, I never had much luck with fruit trees. I saw a pear tree "staceyville" in the Fedco catalog that was from Maine stock and grew hundreds of feet tall. It sounded like I might have success with such a vigorous tree. I was correct, which has been great and not so great.

The problem with this tree is it is rapidly growing so tall that it is shading one corner of our vegetable garden. In addition, we can't reach much of the fruit. I have done a little pruning in the past to shape the tree, but have little experience. I hope to prune in February.

Is it possible to chop off the top of the tree and stop it from growing taller, or will that kill the tree? I would prefer to trim the tree, rather than move the vegetable garden. I appreciate any advice!

 

[Nyboy]

Pears can take heavy pruning.You might not get much fruit for a few years after.

 

[Smart Red]

Yes, you can cut the leader out. Pear trees are supposed to have a vase (or rosebud) shape, but pruning them back is no big deal. For sure, you will get a plethera of water-sprouts to replace the leader -- all vying to be the leader themselves someday. It will mean more, but easy, pruning every winter after this to keep the fruit reachable. It would be well worth it IMHO. I plan to do the same thing with a sweet cherry I have.

 

[buckabucka]

Great! Thank you both for you replies. More, but easier, pruning should be better than fruit I can't reach and a shaded garden.
I had to climb the tree like a monkey to get some of the fruit this summer (less gracefully than a monkey, though ).

 

[897tgigvib]

Yep, what smart red said. Not far from me is a pear growing area, many orchards. I am amazed at how flat topped they keep the orchards, every tree the same squared off height.

 

[bobm]

Marshall, that flat top pruning is done with a machine with rotary blades that are just like heliocopters' rotor blades spinning on top. If you are amazed by the even flat pear tree tops, you will be flabbergasted by orange orchards that not only have their flat tops but their sides trimmed as well shaping them into squares.

 

[buckabucka]

Hmmm.....maybe we should buy a helicopter!

 

[897tgigvib]

Actually, maybe some of the pear orchards I don't know about might be done like that Bob, but I have seen the old couple pruning their trees one at a time by hand using ladders at one of the orchards in potter valley

 

[NwMtGardener]

Marshall, that flat top pruning is done with a machine with rotary blades that are just like heliocopters' rotor blades spinning on top. If you are amazed by the even flat pear tree tops, you will be flabbergasted by orange orchards that not only have their flat tops but their sides trimmed as well shaping them into squares.

WOW, and i thought some logging equipment looked dangerous!!! They must do some internal pruning by hand?

 

[897tgigvib]

I think he was leg pulling