Category: fruit production

The Budding Orchardist: Rescue Pruning a Neglected Pear Tree

On By durhammastergardenersIn Briggs Avenue Community Garden Teaching Orchard, fruit production, fruit trees, gardening, pruning, pruning fruit trees, Uncategorized

By Jeff Kanters, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

–Socrates

(Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

When counseling visitors on managing fruit trees at Briggs Avenue Community Gardens Teaching Orchard, I was occasionally asked about how to prune an older neglected fruit tree to a more manageable size. Typically, a homeowner had inherited a large, gnarly, tangled tree left from the previous homeowner or may have left a tree unmanaged over years.

Late fall of 2024 I had the opportunity to provide onsite consultation to a PTA volunteer crew at Hope Valley Elementary School seeking to renovate an older, 25-foot tall, neglected, unsightly Kieffer pear (Pyrus communis ‘Kieffer’) tree in a courtyard being re-landscaped.

Image of a Kieffer pear tree (Pyrus communis ‘Kieffer’) in bloom and closeup of its late-spring flowers. (Image credit: Gary Owens CC BY 2.0)

Researching the Tree

So what is a Kieffer pear? Kieffer pears are the result of an accidental cross between the Sand pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) native to Asia, and the common American Bartlett pear (Pyrus communis) during the 1860s. While it is often recommended to have two pear trees to produce the most fruit per cross-pollination, Kieffer pears, with their Asian ancestry, are self-fertile, meaning they are not as dependent on another pear nearby to cross-pollinate and set fruit. Kieffer pears are also very disease resistant.

Evaluating the Tree

To get started we inspected the tree, and observed the following:

  • Overall, the core trunk bark appeared intact and healthy.
  • The tree bore many pears during the past season and many large overripe pears were still hanging from the top upper most canopy as unreachable to harvest.
  • Numerous dead and broken, large, jagged limbs protruded at the base of the tree and from along the lower trunk opening the tree up to disease.
  • Rather than one central leader trunk, three competing leaders were all growing up close together and the crotch angles where the leaders grew from the core lower trunk were very narrow, and therefore weak and prone to splitting off from the tree during high winds.
  • Many of the older limbs had tall branches or whips growing directly upward, inward toward the trunk, downward to the ground, and crossing over each other. Pears are one of the more unruly fruit trees to manage with their tendency to wildly send new growth upward in columnar fashion and scaffold branching to grow out every which way. When the tree was leafed out, this would result in shading the interior of the tree reducing air circulation and inviting diseases.

Kieffer pear before start of first pruning. (Image credit: Debra Pilkington)

Developing a Plan

To complete the tree rehabilitation, we set up the following phased three-year corrective pruning plan:

  1. To begin, prune out about one third of the tree growth this first season. Since the tree was old,  taking too much would shock the tree and force unwanted, uncontrolled, excessive new branch growth the next season, making the canopy prone to sunburn and diseases. The team would follow this same method for the next three seasons to gradually reduce the tree height and shape.
  2. Prune out all dead, diseased, and broken limbs and branches.
  3. Prune out the branches growing upward, downward, inward, and crossing over into each other.
  4. Select the largest central leader from the multiple leaders and remove the other smaller competitive leaders, thus leaving only one. This would also open the center of the tree to more air and sunlight.
  5. After several years of corrective pruning, and bringing the top canopy down further, the rejuvenated tree should only require more manageable pruning, maintenance, and harvesting each year thereafter.

Identifying the Tools for the Job

Undertaking a project of this size required a team and key tools that included:

  1. Ladder
  2. Small battery powered hand chainsaw or small and large pruning saw, rather than a chain saw (Note of caution: No one should be alone and use any chain saw without the proper training, supervision, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
  3. Telescopic saw and loppers
  4. Hand loppers
  5. Standard hand pruning shears
  6. Safety helmet or head covering
  7. Safety goggles
  8. Gloves
  9. Non-snag clothing
  10. Heavy duty canvas pants
  11. Heavy work boots or chainsaw boots with protective guarding at front instep

Kieffer pear during first pruning. (Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

Phase one pruning was successfully completed. One experienced volunteer opted to use his handheld battery-operated chain saw for removal of a few of the larger limbs. A large pruning saw would also have sufficed.

Kieffer pear at completion of first phase of pruning. (Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

Considering This Type of Project in the Home Landscape

If you are considering undertaking a renewal project of this type in your home landscape, keep the following in mind. Depending on the size of the tree, what limbs or branches need to be removed, and your skill at pruning, it may be safest and best to hire a trained, reputable, experienced arborist to make initial key cuts on the tree. You can supervise, but let professionals handle the most heavy-duty work. If you choose to do it yourself, you should have a few helpers on hand. Projects of this size should not be left to one person to perform alone.

If you use a ladder, as the ground is typically never flat around a tree, no one should be alone on the ladder, but rather have another spotter below holding the ladder for that person.

A last thought. While it may be a worthwhile project, before you consider rescue-pruning a large overgrown fruit tree, ask yourself a few questions:

  • Is the tree viable, free of disease overall, and producing good fruit yet?
  • Is tree worth the expense, effort, time, and risk to prune back?
  • Would it be better to have the tree completely removed and replaced with a small young tree you can manage better from the outset?

Whatever your decision, rehabilitating an old fruit tree is something that can be done successfully.

Resources and Additional Information

Training and Pruning Fruit Trees in North Carolina:

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/training-and-pruning-fruit-trees-in-north-carolina

How to Prune Neglected Apple Trees, Iowa State University Extension:

https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-prune-neglected-apple-trees#:~:text=Prune%20out%20all%20dead%2C%20diseased,over%202%20or%203%20years.

Pruning to Renovate Old Fruit Trees, Penn State Extension:

https://extension.psu.edu/home-gardening-pruning-to-renovate-old-fruit-trees

Operating a Chainsaw:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/treework/safety-topics/chainppe.htm

North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pyrus-communis-kieffer

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Annual Grafting Workshop and Scion Exchange

On By durhammastergardenersIn ask a master gardener, fruit in the home garden, fruit production, Fruit tree propagation, fruit trees, gardening education, Gardening information, Grafting, plant propagation, pruning fruit trees, Scion, Scion exchange, Scions, sustainability, Uncategorized, Upcoming gardening events

By Jeff Kanters, NC State Extension Master Gardener SM volunteer

Are you interested in learning how to propagate woody plants, including your own fruit and nut trees? Come learn the art of cleft grafting with some of Durham’s Extension Master Gardener SM volunteers at our annual workshop which will be held on February 1,2025.

Grafting Class and Workshop

The workshop will teach you both how to graft and what plant combinations will be successful. Whether you are interested in preserving an heirloom family fruit tree or grafting multiple related fruits onto a single rootstock (Yes, “fruit cocktail trees” are a real thing), this workshop is the perfect opportunity to learn what works, what doesn’t and how to do it. Seats are limited and registration is required and available at the Triangle Fruit and Nut Growers site.

Scion Workshop 2023 (Image credit: Ashley Troth)

The class will offer education on unusual fruits to consider for your landscape as well as how to propagate woody plants. The grafting workshop will teach how to graft and what plant combinations will be successful and provide hands-on practice. The schedule for the workshop is:

Schedule: February 1, 2025

9:00 to 9:25 am – Unusual Fruit to Grow At Home
Interested in growing fruit but bored with the run of the mill varieties? We will show you some alternatives to grow at home.

9:30 to 10:00 am – Hardwood Cuttings
Nothing to do on a cold winter day but daydream about how you’re going to get more plants this spring? We have the answer. Making hardwood cuttings while they’re dormant is one of the easiest ways to get lots more of your favorites. Join us to learn this simple method of vegetative propagation.

10:00 to 10:50 am– Grafting demo and hands on workshop

Imagine a rose bush with different colored blossoms or a nectarine/apricot tree. Do you want to increase your inventory of shrubs and trees but have little room? Learn the grafting method commonly used to add different varieties onto an existing plant so that both varieties produce flowers and/or fruit.

Image credit: Sarah Smith

Scion Exchange

February is the perfect time for winter pruning of trees and bushes including fruit and nut trees. Instead of composting the discarded branches (scions), exchange them for others and pick up some new-to-you varieties. The Scion Exchange will be held from 11:00-12:00 on February 1, 2025 at the NC Cooperative Extension (721 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701). Registration is not needed. Just show up with your scions and tools. Bring bagged and labeled dormant scions to share with others; empty plastic bags to collect new scions; and damp paper towels. Take only what you will use. A 6-8 inch scion can supply two to three pieces for grafting.

Gardeners enjoying a previous Scion Exchange (Image credit: Triangle Fruit Growers Association)

What is a Scion?

Scions are twigs of the above ground portion of a tree representing last year’s newest growth, typically 8-18 inches in length and roughly the size of a pencil. They can come from fruit trees, grapes, kiwi, berries, or woody ornamentals. Scions are used to graft onto existing trees or new root stock, the below ground portion of a tree.

At this event, you will be bringing scions (twigs) home with you to graft onto your existing tree or rootstock. We encourage you to bring scions from your garden to share with other scion exchange participants. The more plant varieties people bring, the better the choices will be!

For detailed instructions on collecting and preparing your scion, see the Triangle Fruit and Nut Growers page: collecting and preparing scions . You can also email KatCauseyEMGV@gmail.com with any questions.

A group of scions labeled, bagged and ready to graft onto root stock. A close up of a grafted scion.

(Image credit: Triangle Fruit and Nut Growers Group.)

The History of the Scion Exchange Program in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) Area

Around 2015, Ms. Susan Emshwiller, moved to Durham, NC from California. An avid orchardist, she was surprised that, unlike California, a scion exchange program did not exist in the RTP area of North Carolina for fruit and nut orchardists. She decided to start one.

Acquiring the support of Seeds™, a non-profit, two-acre urban garden, and kitchen classroom operating in Durham, Susan initiated the Scion Exchange. This event incorporated classes on grafting along with the exchange of dormant scions for those interested in grafting different varieties on to their fruit trees.

In 2021, Susan, longing for open spaces, decided to go back west, this time to Arizona. Understanding that the scion program was in jeopardy without Susan, NC State Extension Master Gardener SM volunteer Kat Causey approached Ashley Troth, the Durham County Extension Agent, with a suggestion that the EMG program continue hosting the grafting workshop, scion exchange, and the scion exchange website.  Ashley agreed.

Kat, together with fellow member Sara Smith, visited Susan in her home to discuss this idea. They admired her many fruit trees with multiple varieties grafted on dwarf stock. Susan agreed to the transfer and relinquished her documents, website and knowledge to Kat and Sara.

In 2022, Kat and Sara, together with others on the plant propagation team, hosted the first grafting workshop and scion exchange. This time it was held at the Cooperative Extension building on Foster Street under the Master Garden SM program of Durham. It was a success. We thank Kat and Sara for their early vision and continued service to the community.

Additional Readings and Resources

Want to know more about propagation techniques and growing tree fruit and nuts in your home garden? Check out these two chapters from the North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook:
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/13-propagation
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/15-tree-fruit-and-nuts


For more information on grafting and different techniques, see NCSU Grafting and Budding Publication : https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/grafting-and-budding-nursery-crop-plants

The Missouri Extension Service also has a publication on grafting: Read Missouri Extension
publication for more in-depth information. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6971

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