I purchased a self fertile pear tree 5 years ago from Bakkers but we have had no fruit at all. The tree has never even came into blossom. The apple and cherry trees are doing fine. Is it time to remove the pear tree?
Has it made plenty of growth otherwise?...and does it look healthy enough?
Have you been pruning the tree?
Generally it is not unusual pear to take long time before it starts fruiting...one of mine took 4 years to make first few fruits, last year I had first 'proper' crop from it and this year nothing..frost is to blame this time.
Oh..another one..
Once I know the answers to the questions in my previous posts, I have better idea what is appropriate 'treatment' for your tree.
There is no need to start digging it out yet as there is few 'tricks' to try first.
It has not been pruned but has excellent green foilage when in full leaf and is appears healthy.
Ah..ok...appropriate chapter from my fruit book is front of me now 'vigorous, unfruitful tree'.
... avoid nitrogenous fertilizers in excessive amounts and switch to a fertilizer high in potash.
..if this don't work, the more drastic methods of festooning, bark-ringing or root-pruning may be necessary.
...festooning is is less drastic than other two pruning methods and should be the first considered option.
Festooning; tying branches to a horizontal or downward position with strings or hanging weights on ends of branches during growing season. (will restrict the flow of sap and in when in 'stress' forming flower buds)
So first point of call..and its not too late this summer..high potash fertilizer. I would give two kinds..slow releasing rock potash that will 'work' over several months (repeating the application next spring) and couple of watering can fulls of diluted tomato feed now or if you have some wood ash handy sprinkling of that would work too as it is fairly fast acting.
....and then you need to start bending the branches.
I would wait couple of years to see if the fertilizer and festooning has any effect before starting even thinking of bark-ringing. As your tree is relatively young..root pruning should not be necessary.
Just to add a personal observation to Goodlife's excellent list of tricks. We had unexplained non-flowering on our pear trees when they were young trees. That particular year the bottom of the garden where the fruit trees are, was badly flooded over winter and the trees sat in swampy conditions. Everything was flooded around where we are and there was nowhere to drain to. I lost my morello cherry tree that spring and the pears refused to flower. Does this sound like this spring?
Our pear trees are now 20 years old and can survive the odd week or two of flooded conditions much better than when they were young trees. And 5 is still young for pear trees.
I wonder if all you have is the 'blind' rootstock and the grafted parts have died.
Does it flower? I find they'll flower when very small, but if they're weak the fruit may drop off, or the plant might stop growing and put all its energy into fruit.