I have a small garden and would like to try growing a pear tree in a
pot on a patio area next to the house. As the patio gets used for
everything else that patios tend to be used for I would want a dwarf
variety that will not grow too wide.

Are pears going to be happy in pots and if so how large a container
should I allow, would I need two or more pear trees to pollinate
successfully and can anyone recommend any particular types of pears.

The patio is south of the house but on a north facing slope, so it is
not shaded much by the house but similarly does not get much sun until
full summer when it can be a sun trap. I am in Sussex (not the coast)
so conditions are mild and frost rarely a problem.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

JB

JB wrote:
Are pears going to be happy in pots and if so how large a container
should I allow, would I need two or more pear trees to pollinate
successfully and can anyone recommend any particular types of pears.

JB,

If you only have room for one tree, get a familty pear tree - I bought
one for my garden it has Beth Concorde & Comice. Compatible polination
groups and a stagered cropping - best of everything!

What I'm not sure about is what root stocks a family tree would be
available on - and you will want a dwarfing variety.

HTH,

Sarah

Three weeks ago I bought a 'Concorde' variety pear from Woolies for £7.99 -it's sold as a Patio pear. It's around four feet tall in it's bare roots! I planted it up immediately in a 38cm/ 15inch terracotta pot and put it outside. Right now it's smothered in buds, despite the cold weather. According to the label it'll grow to 2m tall, 1m wide, over 5 years. Mind you, you'll have a say in that, as you can prune it (carefully) to suit.



Amazin'