Garden tools and pruning advice
Discussion
I've got a fair number of trees in my garden. There are two with TPO and a rose bush appears to have a tpo as well
among the trees are two plum, one walnut and some others that are non edible fruit trees.
How often should I prune the plum trees? We have only owned the house since may 17. And do you have to prune all the way to the top? That would require a long ladder!
Any advice on garden tools? I want to buy best quality that will last. Anywhere known to have good sales on good tools?
among the trees are two plum, one walnut and some others that are non edible fruit trees.
How often should I prune the plum trees? We have only owned the house since may 17. And do you have to prune all the way to the top? That would require a long ladder!
Any advice on garden tools? I want to buy best quality that will last. Anywhere known to have good sales on good tools?
MrJuice said:
On the tools front, ebay was by far cheaper than Anywhere else for fiskars tools. Fiskars tools are excellent - they made chopping up a couple of trees.light work. I was dreading it
In particular, the lopper and saw were excellent
Fiskars for handtools - but being PH - get a decent petrol multitool (Ryobi/Husqavarna) I've got the Ryobi - Hedge Trimmer/Pole Saw and Brushcutter attacements. In particular, the lopper and saw were excellent
Get a book on Fruit trees, there's a version of the Lawnbible that's referenced on here all the time for Fruit. Sorry the name escapes me, but someone will pop up with it I expect.
You should prune your plumbs at the end of the summer to give them the best chance to avoid infection over winter. You're right on the limit now for spring pruning I think, mine are just about to break buds and start flowering. You can prune in the summer if the growth is ridiculous, but it's usually not necessary.
If the trees haven't been looked after you may end up going for a heavy prune this year, which will harm the crop next year but lead to a substantial amount of new growth. I did this 18 months ago and had to prune the following summer, the substantial part of the tree that will fruit gained about 2 foot in height last year!
To get good fruit you need to keep the centre fairly clear, so prune out most of the stuff that starts growing inwards, they'll tend to choke themselves if you let them. I often leave a few of those shoots while they're small as they'll fruit the next year without causing problems, but take them out the following year. I tend to prune out conflicting shoots and then trim new growth back a third or so, but it's always a bit of a balance between leaving wood that'll fruit the next season and keeping the tree under control.
More generally they just need keeping an eye on rather than loads of work like vegetables. I tend to get aphid infections as there's some cherry nearby that is infested and my neighbour has plum trees that aren't looked after at all, I usually spray them dead once or twice a year, but if they're really bad I use Neem oil on the dormant wood over winter to kill the eggs, that stuff stinks, as you have to warm it to us it, but it works well.
Anyway, they're definitely worth putting the time into, my favourite part of my garden is my fruit trees, we have a mix of plum, pear and apple. I tend to pick the plums most days when they're ripening and leave them until they're properly ripe, so much nicer than anything the shops will sell you!
You should prune your plumbs at the end of the summer to give them the best chance to avoid infection over winter. You're right on the limit now for spring pruning I think, mine are just about to break buds and start flowering. You can prune in the summer if the growth is ridiculous, but it's usually not necessary.
If the trees haven't been looked after you may end up going for a heavy prune this year, which will harm the crop next year but lead to a substantial amount of new growth. I did this 18 months ago and had to prune the following summer, the substantial part of the tree that will fruit gained about 2 foot in height last year!
To get good fruit you need to keep the centre fairly clear, so prune out most of the stuff that starts growing inwards, they'll tend to choke themselves if you let them. I often leave a few of those shoots while they're small as they'll fruit the next year without causing problems, but take them out the following year. I tend to prune out conflicting shoots and then trim new growth back a third or so, but it's always a bit of a balance between leaving wood that'll fruit the next season and keeping the tree under control.
More generally they just need keeping an eye on rather than loads of work like vegetables. I tend to get aphid infections as there's some cherry nearby that is infested and my neighbour has plum trees that aren't looked after at all, I usually spray them dead once or twice a year, but if they're really bad I use Neem oil on the dormant wood over winter to kill the eggs, that stuff stinks, as you have to warm it to us it, but it works well.
Anyway, they're definitely worth putting the time into, my favourite part of my garden is my fruit trees, we have a mix of plum, pear and apple. I tend to pick the plums most days when they're ripening and leave them until they're properly ripe, so much nicer than anything the shops will sell you!
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