The service pear had a shadowy existence for a long time, but is currently enjoying increasing popularity as a garden plant again. This is not only due to the edible fruit, but also to the impressive look that occurs with the typical crown formation of a fully grown pear.

The pear grows several meters high

Be careful when caring for the pear tree

While many garden plants forgive pruning mistakes relatively easily and faulty interventions can be compensated for within a short time by newly grown shoots, it can take years for pruning errors to really grow out of a wrongly pruned pear. Therefore, all pear cuts should be scrutinized in terms of their necessity and usefulness. Basically, pear trees grow relatively moderately in the first few years at a location, so that a subtle pruning should only be necessary after a few years. Under no circumstances should you massively shorten an oversized pear tree in the garden and cut it back to bush size. The attractive crown shape of the full-grown, multi-stemmed service pear results in a completely natural way if as few interventions as possible are made as part of the care.

The difference between pot culture and planted specimens

It is quite normal for a pear in a pot to show slightly weaker growth than a specimen planted in the garden ground. This fact can only be compensated to a limited extent by the right substrate and fertilization, since service pears are not very demanding in this respect and should not be over-fertilized. On the other hand, it is more important for the healthy growth of a pear tree that it is protected as well as possible from mildew and that it is cultivated in a suitable location with sufficient light conditions.

Give nature a helping hand

Over time, popular service pear varieties reach a height of several meters and develop a typical funnel or umbrella shape on the crown. One speaks of so-called limbing when certain side branches of a service pear are deliberately removed in order to give the plant a growth form that appears adult. However, different varieties can show different growth potential in terms of size growth:

  • Copper Rock Pear: grows about two to six meters high
  • Common service pear: grows about one to four meters high
  • Eared pear: grows about two to five meters high

tips

In order to grow a sufficient number of edible fruits for yourself and for the bird life in the garden, you should also allow the service pear in your garden to be of a certain size.

Category:

Trees