Author Topic: Pear Tree falling over - Help (Read 10967 times)

Tullywood Farm · « **on:** August 09, 2009, 09:03:05 am »

We have a lovely Pear Tree which fruits every year and is around six years old.

The weight of its branches have pulled it over this week, and even taking off the fruit it is
hard to try and pull it up into the upright position, it is leaning over badly.

What would be the best thing to do - will it die?

We can only think to try and put a fencing post in behind it a few feet away and hist it up with a thick rope, but this might damage the bark.

The main trunk is about 8 inches circ. and most of the branches are only two feet up off the ground from the trunk base???

Any suggestions from horti people gratefully received

Julie

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2009, 09:38:15 am »

Hi Julie,
I'm not a horti expert - but found this on the web for you, it might help ?
Karen

here is how you can save a leaning tree (…and you might want to take preventative action on trees that are leaning now). By the way, if the tree falls over, cut it up for firewood - it cannot be saved. These instructions only apply to trees that are LEANING

1. You need to stabilize the tree (stop it from leaning more). The best way to do thisis by propping it up. Anything long enough and strong enough will do. Your local friendly engineering workshop will make you up Y shaped prop, or you can use a stout bit of timber (cut down floor or roof joist from a skip, 3″x3″ fence post, something like that). An Acrow prop would be the best if you can get one - incredibly strong and capable of being made longer or shorter while in position.

Ideally you want to give the prop a foundation, so it does not drive into the soil under the weight of the tree. Obviously a concrete footing is best, but a paving slab will do the job, even a large rock. The prop needs to be as close to right angles to the trunk of the tree as possible and held really tightly by the foundation. Concrete does this all by itself. For anything else jam the prop in by hitting its base towards the bottom of the tree so it slides across and then gets stuck on the foundation.

2. Ideally in winter (but if the tree is leaning badly do it now) completely cut out one of the large branches that is causing the tree to lean. This reduses the weight that is causing the tree to lean. You can do another the year after and so on. This winter or next spring, prune the side AWAY from where the tree is leaning and prune it hard.

Sounds mad, but it will cause new growth on the “good” side which will help stop it falling over.

3. As a minimum, the tree should stabilise and more root will form away from the direction it is leaning which will anchor it. If it is relativelyt small, you can gradually force it upright as the tree reshapes. Keep on pushing it up and in a few years it will be vertical.

But let’s hope the winds don’t blow.

Tullywood Farm · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2009, 06:08:31 pm »

Hiya Happy Hippy
acroprops - now thats Joe's language -

will pass this to him he will enjoy

Julie

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:45:36 pm »

Some of my branches on my apple trees have so many apples, they are getting closer and closer to the ground. I saw my neighbour prop his plum tree up, as it was leaning badly, with a sturdy pair of wooden step ladders. Then when he gathered his plums last summer, he pruned it back well. Seems to be ok, and not fallen over so far.

doganjo · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2009, 05:23:06 pm »

We did exactly that with three old Apple trees and two plum trees - they continued to fruit as long as we were there - 10 years, then the old guy who bought the house from me after John died chopped them down and put gravel in for a sun terrace.

Tullywood Farm · « **Reply #5 on:** August 16, 2009, 08:53:21 am »

We have maps of our original stone farm house and barn on the land, going back to 1812.

On all the maps is an old Orchard to the front left hand side of the farm house, and it was
so important that it was on all the maps up until 1960.

Apparently the man who owned the farm before us, got it from his brother, we asked what
became of the old Orchard.
He told us that one of his brother's cow's choked and died on one of the apples so he
chopped down all the trees.

Infuriating, why the hell could he not fence the orchard off - or move the damn cows!!!

So now, this pear tree, is in the old orchard spot, with several apple trees, and we plan to replant the whole orchard area again over the next five years.

Julie