dwarf conference pear

I am growing a dwarf comference pear tree in a 50 litre pot,I have had the tree for 18 months .Last year I had about 6 small fruits but these did not grow beyond about an inch long.As the tree was supposed to be about 2 years old when I planted it I assumed that in the first year the tree would establish itself and not produce any fruit.This year there are lots of blossom and lots of small pears are appearing but some of the small fruits are falling off .Has anyone had the same problem and can they suggest a solution. Many thenks.

 

The shedding of small fruit is natural to fruit trees John. They shed what they 'know' they can't support to maturity. I suspect that last year your pear was too young and not fully established and you'd possibly have been better removing the embryonic fruit and allowing the tree to use it's energy for developing branch and root growth.
Your tree is still very young and I suspect that you'd be advised to thin the fruit remaining after the natural drop to just three or four pears and these should with a bit of luck, watering and feeding grow to a decent size and at the same time allow the tree to make more growth in order to produce a better crop next year.
We have a potted peach that is now five or six years old and I know from experience that I can either thin the crop and harvest about ten lovely big peaches or leave it unthinned a harvest a couple of dozen golf balls.

 

Thank you for your advice,I will thin down the fruits but it seems such a shame when there are still so many still on the tree, but as you say better a few good fruits than loads of small ones. Thanks again.