Time to prune fruit trees

By Julian Brandram

Apples and pears should all be pruned now while the trees are dormant, so you have got until about the end of March to get it done. 

There are several reasons for pruning, the most important one is to encourage the trees to bear fruit! Another one is to remove any diseased wood which can then be burnt.

It is very important to prune newly planted trees because this will determine the shape of the mature tree and it is very hard to put it right later on. Four main branches should be selected to form the framework, they should be shortened by a half to a third, make a sloping cut and prune to an outward facing bud.

Always use sharp secateurs which make a clean cut and do not leave a ragged mess. Paint the cut surfaces to prevent disease entering, ordinary emulsion paint is OK! Good pruning  should leave branches which are well spaced and allow free air circulation, reducing the spread of fungus diseases. Most people prefer not to use chemical sprays and there are several environment friendly treatments such as grease bands and pheromone traps.

A good book about fruit growing is “The Fruit Garden Displayed” by Harry Baker, published by the Royal Horticultural Society. Try the library or charity shops and car boot sales.

The last job is to give a good load of well rotted manure or proper garden compost (not peat) around the base of each tree. Do not allow weeds or grass to grow round young trees as will severely check the growth.

After Easter I will be running a gardening course which will include the basics of planning a garden and how to grow flowers, shrubs, herbs and vegetables, how to take cuttings and make compost. To find out more or to join the course please come to a meeting at Abbeyfield House, Wednesday 13th March at 10am. Contact Dawn at Green City Action 2440353 or Julian on 2509096