What do do with my young pear tree?

[d000hg]

I'm not sure if my image attachment worked, but this pear tree was planted as a whip two years ago and has grown remarkably fast. It's already as tall as I'd like but I'm not sure how to constrain it... I'm assuming those two main branches will carry on growing next year otherwise?

[d000hg]

Photo added.

[fishpond]

1) Are you sure its a Pear tree?--seriously, that is a lot of growth for a young Pear tree and I would expect less height with shorter but more leaders, with more upright growth. Also, some of the leaves look larger and more rounded, than I would expect
2) What Root stock is it on?
3) What variety is it?

[d000hg]

Hi, I am fairly sure on the basis that we got a set of 5 fruit trees (2 apple, 1 pear, 1 plum, 1 cherry) and two of them have produced apples, the cherry died, and the other one has very small leaves. Also, the leaves smell distinctly of pear

I don't have the ordering information but I think it was basically this deal, through a Groupon for about £10: Grow your own Fruit Trees Offer - 5 Different Trees
That claims it's a Concorde but doesn't list the root stock.

It does seem to be growing pretty prolifically but it is in direct sun virtually all the time. There have been quite a few upright spurs (?) trying to come off the branches but I keep removing those. Those two long branches literally grew from nothing this year, I chopped the main trunk off at the height of the fence-top.

I'm wondering of those branches will continue to grow, or if they have likely set the overall size of the tree once this season ends? That would be about perfect but otherwise should I nip the tips of those branches or something?

[fishpond]

"There have been quite a few upright spurs (?) trying to come off the branches but I keep removing those. Those two long branches literally grew from nothing this year, I chopped the main trunk off at the height of the fence-top."

What were you hoping to achieve by removing the spurs??
I assume that the other trees I can see in the picture to the far left and right are also fruit trees?
Any idea what the distance is between the brick pillars?

[Kirk]

Well Concorde is reported as "compact". Yours does not look compact.
Although the rootstock will vary the overall growth I would have said compact did not match the somehat open nature that your tree is showing.

Unless you can find the actual variety and the rootstock - it is grafted on to something isn't it? - then it will be somewhat hit and miss concerning answers.

[Jungle Jane]

Concorde can grow 2.5m - 8m depending on what rootstock. My pear trees 2 yrs old,I've got a William bon chretien. There's some good pruning advice here;
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=164

[FB.]

From long range it looks like a cherry, a plum, or something completely unexpected.

A close-up picture of the leaves might help identify what it is.

As said above: Concorde is slow-growing.

If you keep removing bits from lower down you're just encouraging it to put all its energy in growing from the top.

Let's find out what it is, then decide what's best to do about it.

[Bill Door]

Well we can't /don't know what it is for sure. You have it growing so unless you find out you no longer need it then I would propose the following.

1. the two tall uprights should be gently bent down until level. Perhaps you could put a wire between the brick uprights and over the next few months (say 6) bring the branches level to make it look like a cross. Don't force it and tie them down loosely. You probably need to tip each branch to an upward pointing bud but don't take too much off. If there is new growth in the centre then cut them back to about three buds.

2. The lower branches need to be trained in a similar manner and dispose of some of the "bush" lower down. If you do it soon then it should not promote too much growth next year.

3. cut back some of the "spurs" on the lower branches to about three buds and see how it goes. Having "level" laterals should force spurs to grow upwards. To begin with just trim these back to about 3 or 4 buds.

By the way don't feed the roots with nitrogen as this will force new green growth next year. Give it a mulch over winter.

Don't expect too much fruit for the first few years.

good luck

regards
Bill

[veggiechicken]

Also, the leaves smell distinctly of pear

I must be missing something as I've just been out sniffing my pear leaves and can't detect a hint of pear about them
The leaves are smooth and shiny, quite different to the other fruit tree leaves IMO.

[d000hg]

Thanks for the replies all. It sounds rather pearplexing

I'll go take a close-up photo when I get the chance. In regards to a few other queries:

• The trees on eaither side are an apple and a cherry, both planted as bare whips at the same time (they both fruited so I know for sure what they are!) The cherry has grown well, the apple not so much although last year it was engulfed by aphids as it budded and I didn't notice early enough.
• When I talka bout removing vertical spurs, I mean that the branches have a propensity to send off vertical shoots, if I didn't remove these the tree would mostly consist of verticals at this point and I'm sure someone advised me to remove these in order to get a more normal tree shape
• Thanks for the tips on pulling the main branches towards horizontal. My plan is to gradually remove all lower branches than these, but only as the top branches get a bit bigger