Pear Rootstock Help Please

[Helgalush]

I am totally new to fruit growing (strawberries aside) and want to get two pear trees for my back garden. Its a very small back garden so I am having to be a bit careful about size.

I am hoping to buy a Doyenne Du Comice on a Quince C rootstock for my small border, which I want to train in to an espalier or fan shape along my fence, so as not to grow too tall and encroach on my neighbour's sunlight.

I also want to buy a Concorde to go in a very large tub near my shed to be pruned in to a Cordon shape. I was again planning to get a Quince C rootstock believing this to be a smaller tree. But now I have got myself confused. Logic would suggest that a Quince C, being smaller, would be better to have in a pot, but my Crops in Pots book suggests "a compact column pear 'Concorde' on a Quince A rootstock". So now I am wondering if I need to buy a Concorde Quince A that is already Cordon shaped? I really dont want a large tree.

I'm very confused. Can someone please advise me?

[chris]

Summer pruning will keep the tree under control. The problem with more dwarfing rootstocks is that they are more susceptible to disease, as they're generally weaker (due to dwarfing).

I have a quince a concorde in a large pot, it's growing well, and will tolerate a little bit more of me forgetting to water it! I have an extremely dwarfing apple tree, forgot to water it one day, and had a lot of root damage shown on the leaves, and a few fruit fell off. Also as it's so small, it's blown over easier.

[Helgalush]

Thank you Chris thats very helpful. I think I will go for a Quince A now then, and just make sure to prune it well in summer to keep its growth compact. Thanks again.