Catalogue
Planting & Training Fruit Trees
Firstly, the planting …
For your trees to thrive, it is important that they get away to a good start. Planting bare root trees can be safely carried out during their dormant season, normally from November to the end of March. Thorough preparation of the site is essential in order that unnecessary competition from other plant material does not impede the growth of the young tree.
Prepare a hole carefully, making it large enough to accommodate all of the trees’ roots; fork over the bottom soil and incorporate some well-rotted organic matter. Whilst this preparatory work is undertaken, be sure not to leave the tree roots to dry out, keep them covered. Knock in a stake and offer the tree into the prepared hole, making sure that it is replanted to the same depth to which it was grown in the nursery. Backfill the soil, ensuring that there are no air pockets. Attach tree ties to stake and tree, firm the soil well and water if necessary. Many trees fail in their first year due to lack of water whilst they are trying to establish a new root system with which to support themselves. Please don’t forget to water your tree regularly if the season is dry.
… and now for the training.
During the first season of a bush or pyramid tree, tip out the leader by one third on varieties bearing no side shoots or feathers; on feathered varieties cut back to 20cm from the top shoot. Do not allow your tree to fruit in it’s first season. Tie down primary branches to create a horizontal framework, as the outward growing wood will bear regular crops; vertical growth will continue to grow. Build up a good framework over three or four years; fruiting can begin in the second year, but do not allow your tree to over do it !
Growing a trained tree is not as difficult as many would lead you to believe, and can be immensely rewarding. If you fancy a cordon or espalier, plant in the same manner as before, then continue with the following steps:
Cordons: Plant at 45° with the graft union on top. Leave the leader intact until it reaches the top wire; prune primary side shoots back to three leaves, and secondary side shoots back to one leaf during July. No winter pruning should be necessary for many years and then only to thin spurs or remove dead or diseased wood or to restructure the tree.
Espaliers: Cut back the leader to 40-45cm on unfeathered varieties or use a strong pair of feathers to form the bottom tier on feathered varieties, pruning all other feathers back to three buds and the leader to 45cm above the first tier. Tie in new shoots that have been growing with a cane angled at 45°. In the autumn lower these to the horizontal wire framework. Do most of your pruning in the summer, as for cordons. Continue in this way, with one new tier being created each year
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