DIY Network

Grafting and Care An expert explains grafting, fertilization, irrigation and pruning of Asian pears. From "Fresh From the Orchard" episode DFFO-109

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To thin a fruit tree means to remove some of the immature fruit. By thinning, you ensure a good harvest of full-sized fruit, rather than a poor harvest of undersized fruit. Thinning also prevents limbs and branches from breaking under the weight of too much fruit. Asian pears almost always need to be thinned several weeks after blossom. It's best to thin when the fruit are about cherry-sized in diameter, removing the smallest fruit and keeping the larger ones. Be sure to remove the fruit only and leave the stems.

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Fertilization

	Figure B
	Figure C

Fertilizer applications are ideally based on the results of a soil test. But if soil test results aren't available, there are general rules of thumb you can follow. First, don't apply inorganic fertilizer to the planting hole, because it can burn tender young roots if it comes in direct contact with them. But about a month after planting, you can apply a half-pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer (figure B) per tree around the edge of the original planting hole. For established trees, about a pound of 10-10-10 per tree per year may be needed.

Pear expert Lester Davis fertilizes his Asian pears three times a year, in March, May and August. To see whether this pattern of fertilization is best for your climate, you should check with your local Cooperative Extension Service.

Irrigation

Once established, Asian pears need only moderate amounts of water. But in the first year or two after being planted, regular watering is a key to their health and survival. A drip irrigation system (figure C) is a good idea, because it delivers water right to the roots and minimizes water loss to evaporation.

Pruning and Training

Most pruning should be done in late winter/early spring, while trees are still dormant. Mainly, pruning is needed to keep trees productive, to let sunlight in and to keep the trees healthy. Your local Cooperative Extension service can provide you with information on the best way to prune and train Asian pears for your climate; you should always prune out weak limbs and those that are growing in a tight or narrow angle to the trunk, however. You should also remove watersprouts, or stems that shoot straight up from a branch (figure D), and any suckers that sprout up from the base of the tree (figure E) in the spring or summer.

Figure D

Figure E

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