[Tapper]

Early last year (spring2010) I purchased a 1yr old bare root Doyenne du Comice pear tree on dwarf rootstock. Its planted in a half beer barrel and received a good amount of manure this spring. It is now 1.25 metre tall with new branches. Nothing else however has appeared no buds, no blossoms. Have I done something wrong or omitted to do something that I should have?

[waddecar]

If you have no leaves by now it sounds like a gonner - it might have been the severe winter that did for it - container gown plants are more vulnerable than those in the ground.

How bad was your winter in the south west?

[Tapper]

So sorry , I've mislead you by my bad description of the tree. It does have its leaves ..many of them, but thats all. When I said no buds etc I meant no fruit or flowers and the like. In a veg and fruit book it said for a 2 -3 year old tree you need to wait for the june /July drop before removing part of the crop but as I've said end of may and theres nought but leaves, which are nice and healthy by the way.

[gillie]

It is too young!  Pears can take some years to start cropping.

[aqua]

it cd also do with a pear that blossoms at the same time. pears come in pairs. :-)

[Tapper]

The tree's label did state the pear was self fertilising so I didn't bother with a partner. So it sounds like my baby pear tree just isn't old enough, thanks for all your pearls of wisdom. Tapper

[aqua]

even self fertilising pears like a companion.