Am I too late to attack this pear tree?

[nepia]

It's a pear tree that's still not in leaf or anywhere near.  What's it going to do if you carry out your planned work on it; die?!  I don't think so - it's a pear.

 

Crack on; it'll be fine.

[tree-fancier123]

So Brickell, writing about pruning pear is being overly cautious, missing out perfectly good pruning time in April.  

Between spring and autumn I suppose spring has less pathogenic fungal spores being released

[daveatdave]

I bet they were espaliered originally along the wall it needs a lot of work to get it back the next tree looks like it has fallen over due to too much top growth many years ago look like total neglect for about 5 years then not much tlc before that 

[peds]

22 hours ago, daveatdave said:

I bet they were espaliered originally along the wall it needs a lot of work to get it back the next tree looks like it has fallen over due to too much top growth many years ago look like total neglect for about 5 years then not much tlc before that 

Absolutely, there's pegs and pins all over the walls behind each tree. Some of the other specimens are holding their shape okay, but most of them are sprawling outwards. Good eye, the next one has indeed fallen over, and the one after that. Still going strong though, I love the tenacity of them.

 

And yes, you are right, they were totally neglected for five years until very recently, with a good bit of effort going in before those five years. Looks like some of the replacements put in might be a bit too close to the wall, as well.
Thanks for the advice, everyone.

Edited April 12, 2019 by peds