Hello Everyone!!

I have a Pear and Cherry Tree that my dad planted here at our house about 25 years ago. The cherry tree get tons of Fruit every year. The pear tree is TALL, and skinny! I can't reach any of the limbs! Should I Cut the top of the Pear tree off so it branches out at the bottom a little more? I am 5'5" and I CANT reach the bottom most Limb. The cherry tree is HUGE!! It looks like an oak tree!! its been left alone and gets tons of Cherries ever year, but it is just so gigantic! Should I leave the Cherry tree alone? The pear tree I would really like to see a little Fuller around the bottom. Any pointers would be appreciated!!!

Thanks!!!

Ninni

Ninni...pruning is always desirable, and can be very beneficial to fruit trees and fruit production. Pruning is my main profession, and the 1st rule I keep in mind in making a cut is, "what reason do I have to remove this?"
Dead wood should always be removed. Crossing, rubbing growth, weak growth, cracked/broken wood, of course diseased wood, should all be removed. Suckers should be removed unless you want to train them into desirable growth. Thinning is often desirable. Fruit trees in particular need some pruning to reduce the weight of the fruit load and possible breakage.
As for topping, it is not recommended as a routine practice, BUT...there are many reasons you might want to do it. Many orchards routinely "sheer" fruit trees to redirect energy and facilitate harvest. If you want to reduce the size of these trees, crown reduction (Appropriate topping, as opposed to "dehorning," indiscriminate cutting of main trunks) can be done, but keep in mind that it may leave wounds that never properly "heal." Please feel free to ask me any questions you want to...I realize this may all be a bit much information, and may be confusing. I'd be glad to help all I can!

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

Pruning dead wood and that sort of thing can be done anytime, but this time of year is good for pruning. It's best to get it done before bud break ( when blossoms begin to open.) Pear trees generally are more upright than other fruit trees. One reason is the weight load on pears is tremendous, and upright wood takes the weight better...it's evidently an adaptation. Any chance you could post pics?

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

Definetly prune a pear before bud break (late winter), which will help reduce chances of fireblight infection. Also pruning in the summer, causes the tree to send out more shoots that are very suseptible to fireblight. Depending how thick the branches are, you can also use branch spreaders, that are commercially available, or make your own out of wood. You can also use rope/twine, and attach to stakes on the ground, to help bend branches down. Pear naturally grow upwards instead of more outwards. Letting more light in the center of the tree will help produce better fruit, pruning and/or spreading branches will help with that!

If the branches are thick and really woody, tying them down probably wont help you. You need to do this more with green, new growth branches to make them grow more horizantal rather than upright.