Planting, mulching and pruning – that’s the order of events this month. Planting is by far the most important!
Plant fruit trees
Yippee do – deciduous fruit tree/ berry and vine planting time is upon us. I hope in all the excitement of new trees, you have the basics covered – matched up pollinators, matched the tree to the right environment and located your tree/s with enough space in mind.
Working out fruit tree spacings is all about finding the goldilocks moment.
- Give more space to cool/ wet/ still environments than hot/ dry/ breezy ones.
- Plant trees as close as possible to make the most of your land, but don’t get too close that tree health suffers or access is blocked. Fruit trees need light and airflow and the gardener needs comfortable working room.
- Rootstock is the final part of the puzzle.
As for those crazy vines/ canes – how are you going to support them? Well is my hope.
Plant lots of companion plants
You can never have too many groundcover companions! Use your favourite + most useful plants. Either divide existing ones or go shopping!
- Deep rooting companions like comfrey, chicory, horseradish, fennel, parsnip, parsley, globe artichoke, borage or dandelion to recycle nutrients, open clay and hold sand – they’re value is enormous.
- Plenty of herbs and flowers to discourage pests, to feed beneficial insects and bring below ground diversity for a larger pool of biological life.
- Nitrogen fixers provide an ongoing nutrient exchange for free! You don’t need loads, just dotted about. Grow clovers and or legumes on your orchard floor or nitrogen fixing shrubs/ trees throughout or on the border.
Mulch!
As leaves start to fall, nature shows us it’s time to mulch deciduous trees, berries and vines. Not all mulch is made equal though, and not all fruit trees need mulch! Read all about it here in ‘How to mulch fruit trees’.
A Biological Super Spray
Spray your trees with a biological brew when about half to all the leaves have fallen – all those little openings make this a prime moment. An especially good idea if fungal disease has been an issue. Spray generously all over the bark and limbs.
You’re building (as in “Rome wasn’t built in a day” type building), an army here. A crew of beneficial organisms to out-manoeuvre and out-compete detrimental fungi and bacteria, and speed decomposition so that fruit mummies disappear by spring.
Prune deciduous fruit trees
Winter pruning is for young deciduous fruit trees – it gives them a good growth boost exactly what you want in the early years to create a strong frame.
Spend some time with your trees before pruning. Hang out with them and suss out where light needs to penetrate + air to flow, and where the shape needs to be balanced.
Achieving this doesn’t take lots of wood removal – less really is more! Hard pruning creates stress and induces disease and in the case of pears and plums make them shoot like rockets next summer! Rather than go hard, be targeted.
Read through my pruning 101 if you need some help, and get along to pruning workshops and demos, its the best way!
