PRUNING FRUIT TREES @GLOBAL GARDENS

The first 2019 workshop of Global Gardens was a pruning workshop with Kai.

We kicked off with a discussion in the greenhouse about the balance between above-ground and below-ground growth.

Kai explained how the upper canopy mirrors the root system. This means that if you make a big cut above-ground, then the juices from the roots rise up, leading to water shoots.

We learnt how in most cases, fruiting occurs on last year’s growth and most readily occurs at angles of less than 45 degrees. So if you don’t prune at all, you’ll have lots of fruit buds but smaller fruit.

And did you know how apple trees look like apples, how pear trees look like pears and how leaves more generally look like the shape of the trees they grow on!

Kai highlighted the importance of keeping tools sharp and well-oiled.We then got on to some practical work - starting off with some restorative pruning work on some old apple and plum trees growing on the site.

We then moved on to do some formative training of the young Global Gardens apple and pear trees planted in the winter of 2015/2016 including the varieties Beauty of Bath, Bardsey, Cissy, Discovery and Talgarth.

It was great to use the garden site as a classroom. We hope that the fruit trees are happy after their haircut! Watch this space for the next workshop with Kai 9th March on biodynamic planting.