I first began pruning trees about 20 years ago when I was living in Boar’s Hill near Oxford.
We had a beautiful orchard with old, congested trees that barely produced or produced far too many small practically inedible fruits. A friend of mine was a gardener and I asked him if there was anything we could do to make the trees happy and produce more favourably.
In the autumn the trees produced a much more favourable crop of fruit, I was amazed that they had responded so well to just a little bit of love and attention and so my career began.
Since then, in between raising a family, I have sought to improve my knowledge and skills. I embarked on a renovation pruning course at the Brighton permaculture trust and undertook a course in espaliers, fans, cordons and fruit bushes in Dorset. I have read a large number of books and done plenty of internet research.
Fruit trees are my passion and any pruning undertaken is perfectly tailored to suit the individual needs of each different tree.
H. Jackson Browne
Many people don’t know, but every fruit tree that is grown is grafted onto a rootstock.
This is done for a number of reasons but mainly to preserve a particular variety of fruit and to ensure requisite growth. The problem with grafting is that this can lead to complex and unusual growth of the tree. Unlike trees grown from seed, a fruit tree will not naturally grow into a neat fractal arrangement and can be erratic, forming branches that will grow back in towards the tree and in many other abnormal directions.
If a fruit tree is overproducing, correct pruning can reduce the number of spurs – this reduces the amount of fruit, significantly improving the quality.
If a fruit tree is diseased or mossy, correct pruning can open the centre and remove the congestion, this allows the necessary light to flow over the branches, reducing damp and therefore disease.
If a fruit tree is underproducing, correct pruning can renew old spurring systems and give the tree a new lease of life.
To spray or not to spray?
A winter wash is recommended for most trees, it is not harmful to pets, children or soil but simply provides a barrier over the bark in order to prevent unwanted pests overwintering.
Spraying with winter wash should be carried out during November.
Copper spray is used for serious fungal infections e.g. leaf rust, split bark disease. It is not recommended as a preventative measure and should only be used until the infection has been cured/significantly reduced.
Spraying with copper should be carried out in February before budding – it should never be applied when the tree is fruiting as it can be toxic.
Fertilising
All fruit trees should be cleared at the base from grass or weeds – this area can then be covered with slate, stones, or pebbles if required. The base should never be covered with wood chip as this can carry disease, fungal and bacterial.
Fertilising should be carried out at least twice a year either with horse manure or organic seaweed solution during February and again when the trees are just beginning to show the fruit, in the early summer, the month varies between fruit type and varieties.
There is a good deal of conflicting evidence in this area but in my 20 years of experience I have found a system that suits the fruit trees that I prune. It should be noted, however, that months are given as a guideline as these can vary slightly each year depending on weather conditions.
Apples / Pears/Figs November to March
(Apple/Pear espaliers are generally pruned throughout the summer months, June/July, unless significant overgrowth has occurred which means winter pruning will also be required).
Plums / Apricots March to April
(Apricots should be covered throughout the winter months and until the frosts subside in spring)
Cherries August to October
(ornamentals can be pruned from July)
Raspberries August
(after fruiting)
Blackcurrants Late July/August
(after fruiting)
Redcurrents / Whitecurrants September to November
(also during late June for healthy and vigourous bushes)
Grape Vines November to December
(new shoots should be pinched out throughout spring and summer)
Gooseberries November to March
(if bush not netted pruning should be left until March)
Apples / Pears/Figs
November to March
(Apple/Pear espaliers are generally pruned throughout the summer months, June/July, unless significant overgrowth has occurred which means winter pruning will also be required).
Plums / Apricots
March to April
Cherries
August to October
(ornamentals can be pruned from July)
Raspberries
August (after fruiting)
Blackcurrants
Late July/August (after fruiting)
Redcurrents / Whitecurrants
September to November (also during late June for healthy and vigourous bushes)
Grape Vines
November to December (new shoots should be pinched out throughout spring and summer)
Gooseberries
November to March (if bush not netted pruning should be left until March)
M: 07737 300425 hannah@fruitfulbranch.co.uk