Pear tree rescue

oflynno

here is the story so far

last autumn i was clearing fences near a farmyard for a guy

i noticed a few pear trees covered over by brambles and weeds and crap,i did a bit of clearing around them and repaired the fences and all that

this year i went to investigate further and took the slashook and hedge clippers too.i started clearing around the trees(they have finished blossoming)

anyway, short story long
There was a big log in the way so i was going to line it up for the chainsaw.i cleaned around it to make life easier with the chainsaw

I was flabbergasted to see the log was actually a pear tree that had fallen:eek:

The tree was 35 feet long on the ground,and the trees i saw were actually branches from the original tree that grew upwards,they look about 15 years old.

anyway they are still attached to the tree,which still has roots in the ground and is feeding them.

i want to know,what can i do to help it fruit?
should i cut off the bits off the tree that is not supporting the "branch trees"?,so the main tree can feed them better

what kind of agri fertiliser can i put around the roots to feed it on?
i heard that potash is good,but is now a good time to do it?

the farmer isnt overly interested in the tree,so i can do what i want with it

i know that the woodturning fraternity are shouting at the screen to cut it up and give it to them,but i reckon the tree is 50 or 60 years old as it is on an old estate,so i think it is due some help

all help appreciated

recedite

I'd just keep the branch nearest the root, and cut away the rest. It might recover better as a single tree.