Author Topic: Fruit trees and berry bushes - pruning/ care? (Read 4619 times)

Smalltime · « **on:** March 06, 2012, 11:34:57 am »

Hi,

We have discovered two sad little apple trees in the garden surrounded by huge weeds (one of which is more like some sort of tree). They are very small - what do i need to do to help them along and sort the ground out? Its chalky here but I have been getting the compost bin going with a good mix of stuff (we have pet rabbits so that should help with that too.) Do I need to prune them, they are pretty small atm, maybe six foot high or so?

Also got a large number of gooseberry and similar type of spiky bushes tound the garden perimeter, so my neighbour tells me. Would you take the top of them now and would that be a good move to help them produce more fruit and bush out, or is it the wrong time of year?

Thanks

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2012, 01:12:35 pm »

Each type of bush and tree has its own best pruning method - chopping the top off isn't usually one of them

Can you possibly post pics of them all and between us we will suggest what best to do.

Smalltime · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2012, 12:09:36 pm »

Right, it is only that someone has obviously chopped the top of this perimeter hedge before as I can see the new growth above it. Its not very obvious what type of bushes they are at the moment. I would have thought someone might have known what best to feed the apple trees, one is a cooking apple tree and the other an eating apple if that helps.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2012, 04:56:29 pm »

Oh sorry - for feeding apple trees put a sprinkling of wood ash (not coal) around the root run, then a layer of rotted farm yard manure (rabbit is fine), but don't overdo it as the trees are young. Keep the manure away from the trunk too. The root run usually extends as far out from the trunk as the branches do, to the 'drip line'. Fruit trees don't like to compete with weeds so try to keep the root run clear of weeds - a good use for hens in the orchard.
Are you sure the bushes are gooseberry? My neighbour was convinced I had a large number of gooseberry bushes which are in fact Rosa Rugosa (you can chop the tops off those) Gooseberries need to be pruned so that the centre of the bush is opened out into a goblet shape, and all new growth cut back by about a third - but that depends on them having been pruned properly the previous year.

Smalltime · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2012, 05:44:58 pm »

I have just spent a few hours clearing/digging out the weeds and digging up the soil round the whole bed. I dug a trench around the trunks and put in what I had, which was fortunately ash from the woodburner, some rotten leaves and the hay/rabbit poo - so thats lucky. I did not put it up to the trunk as I read somewhere or other that was not a good plan and they still have some old, battered round plastic protectors round the trunks. The huge bush is a Buddleia, I have cut it back a bit as it was cramping one of the trees. Its pretty established, someone has taken a saw to it in the past.
I will try and identify the bushes and let you know, thanks for your help.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2012, 06:25:26 pm »

You have to be careful digging deep near fruit trees and bushes as you can damage the roots. I usually spread the manure and ash as a mulch on the surface and let the worms drag it down.
For the trunk protectors, check the condition of the trunk underneath them as when they have been on too long they can cause the trunk to rot. We use the spiral kind so they don't pinch too tightly as the trunk thickens but even they can cause rot eventually, especially if they get a growth of moss between the trunk and the protector. Unless you have rabbits (or sheep) which will chew the trunk, the protectors are not really needed once the trunk has a few inches of girth because voles can no longer chew them - and it's voles which kill most young trees.

Buddleias can take hard pruning and need it or you end up with a monster.

Smalltime · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2012, 12:33:42 pm »

Well I have now sawn back the Buddleia myself and found there is a rabbit hole right underneath it, so fair to say the protectors were on for a reason! I have had a look under the tree protectors, its a bit damp there but there is still an inch or so between them and the trunks; I am tempted to take them off as I filled in the hole (left a bit of light at the top) and nothing has dug out so I presume the rabbits have vacated.
Spoke to the neighbour and apparently a while ago this place was well looked after and the residents were very self-sufficient and it has now been neglected a few years but nothing more. The soil in the old raised beds out the back seems very good, full of worms and relatively free of insects so must have been fed once I guess as its just chalky downs here. I will soon have to post up in the veggie section as I don't really have a clue what I am doing

No idea on the bushes either, theres a mix. The thorns are pretty vicious on the branches of most of them.
Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2012, 12:59:49 pm »

Glad to help

Your veg beds sound great - not too much to do to get them up and running this spring.

For the bushes, maybe you should wait and see what they are once they come into leaf. If you have a camera or phone you can take pics on, there is an identification section here somewhere and we all love identifying mysterious plants.

Smalltime · « **Reply #8 on:** March 09, 2012, 05:20:48 pm »

The farmer came by and dumped some rotted horse manure for me today. No shortage either, I have a trailer load now! I bumped into the Estate owner in my search today and he offered to send some round which was nice as this is some hill. The farmer informed me that the front row of bushes are blackthorn. I know some are gooseberry already from the neighbour. So thats a start.