The science (and sometimes the snake-oil) can run deep when it comes to fruit tree pollination. You could read endless books and research studies on how to optimise your orchard with a diversity of cross-pollinators to achieve a bumper crop. For most growers, it’s actually pretty straightforward to get the right results. This guide should… Continue reading A guide to fruit tree pollination
Category: Fruit Trees
Freezing weather & bareroot plants
Most of the damage caused to bareroot plants in cold, freezing conditions is to the delicate roots themselves. The roots are fine, fibrous structures with a high water content: moving them, or even the slightest touch whilst frozen, can cause damage. Almost all of a shrub or a tree’s energy reserves are stored in the… Continue reading Freezing weather & bareroot plants
Best medlar jelly recipe
Well made medlar jelly is a true delight. It is beautiful to look at: amber with pink highlights and very glossy. And medlar jelly is joyous to taste; some say it is like sweet cider infused with cinnamon and a touch of allspice. Whatever your adjectives it is utterly delicious, wondrously fragrant and gives a… Continue reading Best medlar jelly recipe
When to clip, trim & prune hedges?
Winter and Summer Winter is generally the best time to prune woody subjects and it certainly is the best time to trim the hedge plants you have just planted. Hedges must be clipped and sometimes pruned. Fruit trees need some pruning to maintain the best crops. Older ornamental trees can need pruning if they are damaged or… Continue reading When to clip, trim & prune hedges?
Apple Pollination Groups & Dates
Spring and apple blossom are months away, what does pollination have to do with anything in October? Nothing, if you already have apple trees that are happily partnered up. But the bareroot tree planting season is almost here and if you are planning on adding some apple trees to your garden, you need to make… Continue reading Apple Pollination Groups & Dates
Fruit Trees at Altitude
We get hundreds of enquiries a year about growing fruit trees in the UK at altitude and our answers usually start off with something like: “Unfortunately your location sounds beautiful but (from the perspective of fruit trees) terrible. Your site is high up and almost certainly windy given that you are south facing and prevailing… Continue reading Fruit Trees at Altitude
How to prune Cordon Fruit Trees
This is just about pruning cordons – there is a much longer piece on growing cordon fruit trees if you would like to know more. Cordons should be pruned every year around mid August (i.e. about now). Your cordon is ready for pruning when the new side shoots from the main stem(s) become woody at… Continue reading How to prune Cordon Fruit Trees