Don’s Expert Answers: I have a very narrow back garden. I want to plant the capital pear trees as a screen along the back fence. I have been given mixed advice on spacing. I have already dug holes that are a metre apart (middle of hole) but now i’ve been told they are too close together and the roots will compete. I don’t know what to do! I wanted to plant 12.

Question From:
lorraine Wnoroski in allenby gardens , adelaide South Australia

Nature of problem:
I have a very narrow back garden. I want to plant the capital pear trees as a screen along the back fence. I have been given mixed advice on spacing. I have already dug holes that are a metre apart (middle of hole) but now i’ve been told they are too close together and the roots will compete. I don’t know what to do! I wanted to plant 12.

Type of Plant (if known):
Capital pear tree

Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself):
please see nature of problem”

Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type:
clay soil

How often do you water the plant:
to be watered every day

How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
will get full sun

How long since you planted it:
to be planted

Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
to be fertilised

Is the plant indoors or outdoors:
outdoors

Is the plant in a pot or in the ground:
ground

What other treatments have you given the plant:
to be bought

Upload photo if available:

Other Comments:

Answer:
Hi Lorraine, Pyrus ‘Capital’ is a beautiful narrow growing ornamental pear tree. It grows around 1m to 3m wide at maturity, so an ideal spacing for privacy would be 2m apart. Run a black poly irrigation line along the row with one sprinkler-head per tree. Fertilise each September with Osmocote All Purpose fertiliser. Don