At last, the sun is out! After a very wet and cold winter it is time to get outside and do all those essential jobs that need to be done before spring.
We have neglected our orchard in recent years and we need to prune the apple and pear trees. These trees are about twenty years old and have not been pruned for at least ten years.
Some jobs can be a bit daunting at first, so I am following the “D” rules and starting with cutting out any wood that is Dead, Diseased, Damaged or Dangerous.
Next I have cut any branches that cross over. Finally cutting out branches or twigs that are growing inwards towards the centre. This opens up the crown for good ventilation and allows in sunshine to ripen the fruit. This is my favourite rule as you stand back to assess your work and decide if a pigeon can fly through!! Its an old fashioned rule that works. We don’t have many pigeons due to a lot of buzzards in the area. I will just have to use my imagination.
Finally it is important to clear away any cut pieces of tree to avoid any diseases. Ours will be moved away and left in the sun to dry. Then it will go through our chipper and make lovely wood chips for use in the stables. Nothing gets wasted.
