Pear Trees- Pruning & Shaping Young Branches

Just hope it doesn't turn into a game of glass conkers when the wind picks up later...

Observation, another Lidl marmalade lover?

I trained mine in 2017, sort of espalier but not quite because it was older tree running skyward

The horizontal, or at least not vertical branches seems to do what it is supposed to regarding fruiting, one cluster of blossom last year, which never set

And noticed this morning a fair number of blossom buds looking promising

Once the blossom appears I'll post blog, including pictures, of before & after training

What variety BTW?

They look like strong healthy trees to me but I don't understand the water jars. Darren makes a good point if it adds undue stress esp during a wind storm. Is it necessary? I like that you have 2 tress so they can cross pollinate. I love pears.

It's good marmalade GG! Are the blossom buds the big ones that are prominent now? They're my first fruit trees so learning as I go along. One's a Beurre Hardy, the other's Doyenne du Comic.
Should I take off any little twiggy sprouts right at their bases?
Hi BG, I was the OP, the comment was an afterthought. The jars are adjustable weights to bring the main branches to near horizontal while they're young & flexible so that they are strong enough to eventually carry plenty of fruit

Just wondering why you cut the leader? If you wanted to limit the eventual height and shape of the tree the way to go is to choose the correct root stock for the size of tree you want.

They're both on Quince A rootstock. My garden is very small so doing everything I can to train them while they're young will stop them becoming a problem in terms of casting shade, etc.
Do you foresee a problem arising from it Stera?

D8m yes, the blossom buds are the big fat ones, just waiting for the weather to improve

Mine's a D D Comice, luckily next door has a Concorde so pollination should be fine for me

Not sure about twiggy bits, I'd be inclined to leave them and see what they become

I cut my leader off as well, for same reason as you, and training to keep it under control, AFAIK there's not a really dwarfing rootstock for pears like there is for apples or we'd all be growing them

Thanks GG that's reassuring advice.
A neighbouring Concorde is a bonus! I wonder if I can convince the bloke next door that's what he desperately needs☺