Chanticleer Pear Tree Leaf'd Out - Summer 2019

The last time we checked in on this large caliper Chanticleer Flowering Pear tree that is planted close to our front driveway was last Fall when it was totally off-cycle.  It flowered in early November.  But, I took that (oddly-timed) indicator as a potential sign of progress.  Looking back at this same tree in June of last year, I think that this year the tree is healthier.  It isn't perfect as there are still plenty of thin spots and some dead tips.  But, look at the photo from last year.  The leaves are a different color.   Darker green.  Seemingly more healthy, right?

The culprit was the clay bowl that this tree was planted in and how it was drowning the tree.  At least...that's what I *think* was happening.  I dug out part of the tree on the low-side of the planting bowl and then used a post-hole digger to dig through the clay layer to make a kind-of drainage spot so the water had a place to run.  After I did this excavation project, it didn't take long for the tree to react.  It seemed that the leaves weren't turning brown any longer and once Fall came, it experienced some new growth. 

Fast forward to this Spring and the tree came out of dormancy as expected, but was slow to leaf out.  There were some extremities that seemed to have died off, but on most - if not all - of the branches we were getting leafage. 

We have another one of these trees in our backyard (well...we have two of them, actually) and this one certainly doesn't look as nice and healthy as those.  But, I think it might be on it's way to becoming a proper, healthy tree.  Not this year.  But, I'm thinking that if it stays on the proper path this year (and I don't water it too much!), it should be able to put down some root growth and maybe, just maybe flower next Spring.