Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Growing Asian Pears

Remove all weeds within a 3-foot radius of the Asian pear tree's planting area.

Dig a planting hole three times the width of the Asian pear tree's root ball and the same depth at which it has been growing. Scrape the inside walls and floor of the hole with a gardening fork to allow for easier root penetration.

Place the Asian pear's root ball in the hole. Fill the hole halfway with soil and the rest of the way with water. When the water drains, fill the hole with soil. Tamp around the base of the tree with your hands or feet.

Spread a 3-inch layer of mulch on the soil, keeping it 2 inches from the tree's trunk, in a 1-foot radius around the Asian pear tree.

Water the tree until the water puddles. Keep the soil moist until the tree becomes established.

Cut off the top of the Asian pear tree immediately after planting so that it is 25 to 30 inches tall. After the first year of growth, while the tree is dormant, choose four strong limbs, spaced around the tree, and cut off all the others. Cut the main limbs in half to create the structure of the tree. In the second dormant season, leave six main branches and cut them to 30 to 36 inches in length.

Fertilize the Asian pear tree in its second year with 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Apply half the fertilizer in the spring before new growth and the other half after the fruit sets. Scatter the fertilizer on the soil 2 inches from the base of the tree, and spread it out to the drip line.

Lightly scratch it in with a rake and water the tree normally. In subsequent years, apply the fertilizer at 1/2 cup per year the tree has been in the ground, split into two applications as you did in the first application.

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