Some gardeners choose columnar fruit varieties such as columnar pears in order to spend as little time as possible on care measures such as pruning. Depending on the respective variety of columnar pear, it may be necessary to ensure the desired shape and optimal plant he alth with the pruning shears in your hand.
When and how do I cut a columnar pear correctly?
Columnar pears are best cut between mid and late June by shortening side shoots to 2-3 buds (10-15 cm) and regulating the central shoot if necessary. Use clean, sharp pruning shears and cut just above a bud.
Different pruning requirements for different pear varieties
The columnar growth is genetically anchored to different degrees in different cultivars of the columnar pear and must therefore be supported to varying degrees by targeted cuts on the pear tree. For example, the columnar pear variety 'Condora' is characterized by relatively strong growth of the side shoots. If a columnar shape is to be achieved or maintained, the side shoots must be shortened accordingly on a regular basis. This cut, known as "pinching", is hardly necessary for a pear tree of the 'Decora' columnar pear variety, as this variety grows all by itself in an almost perfect columnar shape.
The right time for topiary
Since the dominant central shoot is very important for the fruit set of columnar pears, its growth should be promoted through targeted pruning measures. Ideally, the following points should be taken into account when pruning from mid to late June:
- shorten the side shoots to about 2 to 3 buds or a length of 10 to 15 cm
- all cut just above an eye/bud
- always work with clean, sharp secateurs (€14.00 on Amazon)
- remove broken or dead branches promptly
If a columnar pear reaches the age of around 7 years, the central shoot should also be cut in order to regulate height growth and encourage better branching.
Regulate the height specifically
If you want a columnar pear tree to remain particularly small (e.g. for growing on a balcony), the dominant central shoot can be pruned earlier than the age of 7. However, if height growth is limited in this way, it should be taken into account that the increased lateral branching of the columnar pear must also be kept in check by appropriate pruning.
Tip
If the desired yield is still not achieved years after planting a columnar pear, this does not necessarily have to be due to incorrect pruning or certain location factors. Since pear blossoms are a little pickier when it comes to pollination than many other flowers in the plant kingdom, some varieties of columnar pears may require a pollinator variety in the immediate vicinity.
