pear tree - 2nd year - how many pears should I leave on?

[Ohioguy]

I have a small pear tree out front, one of those grafted ones that has 5 different varieties. It just finished blooming, and now it looks like it has 200 to 250 tiny pears on it, since the petals fell off.

The tree was planted a year ago in early spring, so it has some roots established. However, last year was very hot and dry, so it was under some stress, and kind of just sat there. Also, I left on the 3 tiny pears it had on in the pot at the garden center, so we got to eat 3 pears just a few months after planting it. It is about 5' tall, and the base is approximately 1.25" across.

Complicating matters is that during the summer, I removed the plastic tree wrap it had around the base, and discovered that the trunk is girdled about 1/2 of the way around. I think this damage was caused by the tree falling during transport, or at the nursery. I believe that the plant vigor is limited by this, though I am hoping that over time, especially since the tree is so small at this point, the living portion of the tree will spread and cover up the dead part, so that the entire trunk about a foot off the ground will be carrying nutrients up to the rest.

So, my question is this: given that it successfully had 3 pears on it last year, and has a better root system now, but also considering the partially girdled trunk, how many of the tiny pears should I leave on the tree and allow to develop?

Thanks!

[Steve Peek]

Wait until mid June, fruit trees have what is called the June drop. Easily half of the fruits you see now will fall off during that period. After mid June remove any that are deformed of damaged. Leave a fruit every 4-6 inches if you have that many left. Spray a bit of "wound coat" on that girdled area and you should be fine. Steve

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

what did the nursery you purchased it from say?

[Ohioguy]

They said I should keep paying them full price for damaged trees! :-)

Bought the tree from Meijer. The issue is, of course, partly my fault for not inspecting it thoroughly. I was excited about finding a variety that did not require planting another for pollination, and the fact that it already had 3 quarter sized pears on it. I never thought about looking under the tree wrap for damage.

Of course, by the time I noticed the girdling, it was early August - probably the worst time to plant any sort of replacement tree. That didn't matter, though, because their garden center has sold out of items by that time. My only recourse would have been to rip out the tree and take it in for a refund. I decided to give the tree a chance instead, and am hoping that the bark will grow around the dead area.

[Rick]

Rabbits and mice tend to chew the bark off of fruit trees. Be careful not to mulch right up to the trunk as mice will burrow to the truck and chew out of sight.