Only applicators with a thorough knowledge of dangers and safety precautions should use chemical weed killers. Consult your county Extension agent for information on weed control applications. Back To Top Fruit Thinning Pear trees grown under favorable conditions will overbear, resulting in small fruit and often broken limbs. Removing excess fruit ensures satisfactory development of color, shape, and size of pears remaining on the tree. Failure to remove excess fruit decreases formation of flower buds for the following year and causes trees to produce a good crop every other year.
Overcropped trees are also subject to serious limb breakage problems.
The earlier thinning is completed, the more effective it is in achieving desired results. Midsummer thinning improves fruit size, but it does not aid formation of next year's flower buds which are initiated during the spring and summer following full bloom. Thin fruit before this period. Remove fruit by hand. Leave one pear per cluster, and space the clusters approximately every 6 inches.