Can I grow pears despite my unsuitable soil?

Maine et Loire, France

Other than growing in a pot or container, which is more trouble than I can be bothered with, is there any way I can succeed with pears in our heavy, calcareous, clay soil. I've planted three pears in six years and each one has died or barely survived. There is an ancient pear tree which has some poor fruit from time to time.
What would I have to do in terms of soil preparation for a dwarf pear tree to succeed despite the unsuitable soil? Or should I just accept the situation and grow more apples?

3 Aug, 2009

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Answers

Moon_grower

Well you know what the easier option is Bertie, grow more apples :-)

3 Aug, 2009

Andrewr

I have two pears, trained as espaliers, growing on heavy clay albeit slightly acid. I dug in lots of organic matter before planting them to improve the soil structure. They are at the top of the garden facing due south so get lots of sun and don't get waterlogged. They took a long time to start fruiting but are growing well

3 Aug, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

This is strange Bertie as Pears are probably more amenable to a wider range of soil types than apples normally.At least this is what the head guy at a supplier of fruit trees told me once.

How about building open bottomed retainers out of railway sleepers and filling them with top soil?

4 Aug, 2009

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