Question
Last year we had a 20 ft. Aristocrat Pear Tree planted in our yard. It was beautiful with deep green leaves. Living in NJ we had 3 major snow storms but in early spring our tree flowered and then little leaves came and that is how it stayed up to July 1, little leaves and berries. There is another tree in the neighborhood and it has suffered the same exact thing. Could it be the winter we had?  After it bloomed in the spring and nothing happened after that, my husband bought tree food spikes and following directions put the requested amount of spikes around the tree. That was the end of april and nothing has changed. It isn't dead but it isn't shading at all. Do you think it will return to the beautiful tree it was when first planted?
Thank you so much in advance.

Answer
Newly planted tree especially if they are large trees will concentrate the growth the first year on the roots and the foliage will not look as good as it should. After the roots have grown enough to be able to support the water and nutrient needs of the foliage the foliage will increase. Usually this begins to happen the second or third year after the tree is planted. Just be patient and the tree should be ok.