We have a great Bradford Pear tree in our front yard, about
10 years old. It is growing out of control. Can they be
trimmed like a hedge so as not to lose their shape? When is
the best time of the year to trim them?

The tree has already grown into the cable tv lines, and
we are afraid it will get into the power lines.

Any help anyone can send me would be much appreciated.

Reply to post by Lynn Leopard, on May 25, 2002 at 09:24:27:

I have many return questions:
Is the tree on your own property?
Are you sure it is a 'Bradford' pear?
How tall is it, and what is the distance to power lines, vertically and horizontally?
What is the trunk diameter, and the canopy width?
Has the tree been pruned by a qualified person in the past, to train the tree as much as possible, so as to reduce weak and crowded attachments?
How attached are you to the tree?

It is important to know many things before offering advice, especially about something far away and out of sight.
In general, I would say that there are methods of pruning that could be used to address your concerns. Shearing the branch ends is not a method that I would advise.
Crown size can be reduced and controlled to a degree by pruning branches back to suitable laterals.
Extensive pruning can be spread out over two or more years, to limit stress to the tree system.
Dormant pruning is best, I think. The worst time would be during the wet spring or during Autumn.

You would be well advised to have the tree looked at directly by an arborist. Get a written recommendation concerning the kind of pruning, the reasoning, and the extent, etc.
Also, consider the possibility that there may be other, better long-term solutions to the problem. It may be that a different kind of tree would be more suitable, or that there really isn't room for a tree at all.