Can I STOP my huge pear tree fruiting?

[nina-g]

3 years ago we moved into a property with a magnificent pear tree. Over 75 years old (we are told) it stands about 50 feet high and looks fantastic - but each August our dangerous nightmare begins. The tree is smothered in pears - thousands of them. They are large, smooth, yellow/blush when fully ripe but grainy/mushy and not the best flavour. The tree is so huge that they are impossible to pick (we got 500 off last July but 4 times that amount still ripened on the tree). They fall already packed with wasps - a single pear can hold dozens. We also have a different variety of pear (small round darker fruits) in the garden but this is failing and will soon be removed. Trouble is, other similar potential cultivar trees are in neighbouring gardens. Thousands of gorged wasps in your garden is no fun and we must act but really don't want to remove this lovely tree. Pollarding sufficiently to give access to fruits is an option but would be so drastic given size I assume that it might kill the tree. Can I infect it with something to stop the fruit? What eats wasps?
Any ideas anyone?

[Glutton4...]

Hi, and welcome to the Madhouse!

I'm sorry I can't help, but being allergic to stings, I do sympathise. Hopefully the very knowledgeable FB will see this thread, and be able to give you some advice.

[nina-g]

Thanks Glutton4 fingers crossed!

[vicky]

We too have a huge pear tree similar to yours! All we do is hang a load of wasp traps in it (cunningly laced with perry!) and avoid walking underneath when there's a breeze! But I forgive it in the spring when the blossom is out.

[Shadylane]

Get a waspinator (pretend wasps nest or blown up paper bag) and hang it from the tree. Get one of those fruit pickers with a telescopic pole so you can reach the top ones - or is it really that tall? Make some pear honey - have no idea what it's like but I saw a recipe on here I think last year. Sorry, have no idea how to stop it fruiting.

[SarzWix]

Find a way of picking them before they're ripe and make perry with them. The wasps won't be interested in them until they're ripe, so if you get them off before then, you won't have any trouble. Whereabouts are you? Have any local artisan brewers? They might make a cider/perry brew anyway and take them off your hands?

[nina-g]

Many thanks Vicky - and I agree that in Spring it is the most magnificent sight. Also in winter the bark and lovely shape is beautiful. I would do almost anything to keep it and keep it at current size. Problem is that we can't avoid ours and have children and pets which are being stung but I will definitely try the wasp traps.

[nina-g]

Thanks and will try waspinators (think that we will need a few dozen!). We have the biggest telescopic pole available but this only reaches about 5 metres leaving another 12 metres above. It is that tall! We are now thinking about hiring an industrial lift - pricey but last resort! If we can get them before they rot we will definitely use them so thanks for the honey idea - sounds nice.

[nina-g]

Thanks for the response Sarah and I think that we are going to have to hire an industrial lift to get them down in July as you suggest. And invite friends to help. The branches are simply too brittle to bear weight and telescopic picker gets nowhere close. My partner has always been keen on making perry himself if we can just get them before they ripen and rot. Others have suggested nice pear uses too. It will cost but will be worth it if it saves this lovely tree.

[OverWyreGrower]

I would speak to a proper tree surgeon who has experience with fruit trees - they should be able to come and take a substantial amount off the tree without killing it/damaging it... at least that way over the next few years you might be able to harvest the pears before they ripen and stop the wasps (we have similar problems within our orchard - just saving up for the tree surgeon, as we have 8 trees....)

[starloc]

You could dose the tree with gibberelic acid ( GA3 ) , its used at different levels to control fruiting

very low levels it gives fruit set, seedless fruit
medium levels , fruit thinning
high levels it prevents fruiting

there are loads of technical papers about levels to use on the internet , you mix it into a spray and mist the tree with it

Its difficult to spray a huge tree though , you can use a pressure washer though

[Aisles]

Personally I'd prune the tree at the correct time of year. It's clearly been left to do it's thing for far too many years.

As pear should be picked before they ripen as well you are clearly losing so much fruit to wasps any way from over ripped spoilt fruit.

Firstly start out by thining out any damaged or ill branches. Then go on to any that cross each other and rub another branch.

Once you've thinned it out a bit you'll be able to get to some more of it with the add of ladders tied to the trunk.

If the tree is continually heavy with big fruit I'm suprized it hasn't broken off branches with the wieght.

I lost 3 branches off one pear tree this year due to the amount of fruit on it even though I thinned the fruit out when the fruit was still young.

If after thining it out it's still far to big to reach and harvest the pears and you are unable to prune any more of it I would as other's have said pay for a proper fruit tree specialist to come assist with the pruning.

All the best with it

All the best with it

[chris]

With a tree that size, I'd definitely go for a tree surgeon. Not only will they have the kit, but they'll also be used to pruning such a tree (as G4 says, finding one with fruit experience would help). Summer pruning would help keep it at the size it is now (or slightly smaller, whatever you'd like).

Another way to limit fruiting would be to rub the fruit buds out when they start to form, but you'd probably need the lift to get up high/right in to make any difference.

[baldrick]

when you choose a tree surgeon do so with care tho. a chainsaw course teaches nothing about trees and there are a lot of tree butchers about..........

[nina-g]

Many thanks to everyone for the helpful advice.
I will do more research on the acid technique and also now think that what funds we have might be better trying a good tree surgeon with fruit speciality rather than a mechanical lift! Pruning on this scale is far beyond my capabilities as the tree is so large.
I will be very careful to avoid the chainsaw idiots.
This is my first time using the site and am really grateful for and impressed by people taking the time and trouble to share their valuable experience with a novice.