Sunday 23rd January 2022 - Apple Tree and Snowdrops

I have been watching YouTube again. This time I was looking for advice on how to prune apple trees. We have a russet apple which, most years, has provided us with a reasonable crop. However, although it has been trimmed to keep it from getting too big, I wanted to learn the correct way to prune. I watched four recordings with each one showing slightly different methods. Taking advantage of yesterday’s dry sunny morning I was out in the garden armed with secateurs, parrot bills, lopper and a bucket for the trimmings. I looked at each individual branch, and with my new found knowledge I was able to differentiate between a fruiting spur and a leaf producing bud. I duly set to, removing spindly twigs, and inward facing and crossing branches, as well as reducing the trees height and cutting off fruiting spurs where they were overcrowded. I noticed some of the branches are providing a habitat for mosses and lichens. I wasn’t sure whether the tree should be treated to kill them but seeking guidance on a website discovered they are not a problem for the tree and now that I have opened up the centre, allowing air to circulate more freely, they may well ‘go’ of their own accord.

While I was out in the garden, I was pleasantly surprised to see plants showing shoots and buds, bulb foliage pushing its way up to the surface and in particular the first snowdrops in flower. It may still be cold but nature is most definitely aware; spring is on its way.