Prune properly and she’ll be apples

Apple-tree pruning is gardening writer JACKIE WARBURTON’s favourite type of pruning. She says it can be done in the next few months now all the leaves have fallen and the tree structure can be clearly seen. 

MOST pruning jobs need at least secateurs, loppers and maybe a hand saw with safety gear. If summer pruning wasn’t carried out, there’ll be a lot of material to take away to bring the tree down to a manageable size for picking and netting. 

Knowing what type of tree it is helps with pruning techniques to ensure fruit for the summer season. 

Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are tip-bearing apples that have buds at the ends of the branches and have side-shoot growth that’s a different colour to thicker branches of the same tree. 

Gently feel the buds. The fat, furry ones are fruit buds and the slender and smooth ones are leaf buds. Tip: prune to “fat buds” on extra-long branches to promote growth next season as they produce flowers and fruit on two-year-old wood. 

Spur-bearing apples such as Red Delicious and Golden Delicious or even Cox’s Orange Pippin are easier to grow and not as much pruning is required. These heritage apples flower and fruit on spurs. 

Old branches that crowd the centre of the tree should be removed now and any lateral branches can be reduced and shortened to encourage new spurs for fruit in the future. 

Prune to an outward-facing bud and encourage horizontal tree growth as fruit will develop more easily than vertical growth. 

If there’s a space in the garden that gets at least four or five hours of full sun a day, then plant an apple tree. They’re long lived and don’t like to be transplanted, so choose their spot wisely.

Prepare the soil, add compost to the hole and add a little boron and dolomite lime. 

The main insect problems we have in our region are aphids and cottony cushion scales. Give the trees several winter sprays of the bark and branches with an organic horticultural oil and spray lime sulphur for powdery mildew, apple rust and apple scab. 

Spray on a still, sunny day in the morning to allow the spray to dry before nightfall. In springtime, plant marigolds and chives under an apple tree to prevent apple scab. 

Apples and potatoes are not good companions, so don’t store or grow them together. 

WHILE they look terrific in the tropics and warmer climates than ours, there are some plants that surprisingly do well in a vertical-growing space. 

My “green wall” is on a southern side and is full of succulents and, although slow growing, survives with minimal maintenance. 

Growing small shrubs in “pockets” can work well all year round. Use plants that grow slowly and also try plants such as bergenias, liriopes, dichondra, jasmines and heucheras. 

Herbs are also ideal for “pocket” systems and easy-to-grow plants to try are sage, thyme, oregano and parsley.

Vertical walls are great for balconies and small courtyards. If there’s an indoor space with low, natural light where you want to have a vertical green wall, it would be a challenge, but do-able with hydroponic watering systems, lighting and plant choices. Professionals may need to be brought in to get the set-up right. 

Jottings 

• Look for winter-flowering shrubs to plant, such as garrya elliptic or Stachyurus praecox.

• Prune kiwi fruit after harvest. 

 

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