We held a winter pruning workshop at the orchard on Sunday morning, 26th February, led by Dan Hasler, a local orchard expert.
Dan explained how to shape a tree during its formative years to establish a robust and outward-growing crown with an open structure that, according to the old saying, ‘you can throw your hat through’.
He followed with his principles of pruning:
- Remove dead, decaying and diseased wood;
- Remove crossed branches;
- Don’t judge the tree or the previous pruner.
We then put theory into practice by pruning and shaping our apple, pear, quince and medlar trees.
The remaining stone fruits – cherry, plum, damson and gage – were left for summer, the most appropriate time for pruning them.
We hope Dan will return to help us.
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