Baz wrote in :

Gadge wrote in news:Gadge.8c32e16
@gardenbanter.co.uk:


Thanks for the replies!

I will do what you recommend, taking off some of the pears, pruning
in the winter branches that touch each other and improve the air
flow.

Next thing is the grease bad. I did make one up a few years ago but
not sure if it done the trick, basically i wrapped denso tape around
the trunk and applied grease to it. Is that good enough?




Gadge,

THE most important thing is to take off one of a pair or trio of pears
which touch eachother. One pear on it's own. You will not look back.

If you were a grower intending to have a saleable crop then a grease
band would be needed. You have a tree which you need some pears off
for your family (and the pears won't keep for long)so you don't need
one.

THE second most important as has been suggested in autumn is to get
those leaves and bad looking droppers collected up and in the compost
heap. The bad looking droppers will have what looks like white or
creamy looking spores on them and these pears can stay on the tree
even after the strongest winds. Knock them off with the clothes prop
and get them in the compost too.

THE third is pruning as has been suggested is to take out touching
branches, and also any of this years growth which go directly upwards.

You can't be too clumsy with this as you need quality not quantity,
get rid of anything you don't like the look of. Lop(or Pollard not
quite right but adequate terminology) it at the top if needed to keep
the tree at a managable height and keep on pruning until you die. The
tree will live on.

Baz


I have taken some pears off of mine today. We can maybe eat them by the
weekend. They look super.

Baz