Jobs to do: Cut and trust for a fruitful new year

In the fruit garden it's almost time to prune blackberries and raspberries. Cut back to ground level all stems that have carried fruit from blackberries, summer raspberries and longanberries. On autumn-fruiting raspberries wait until February before pruning all the canes back to ground level.

By The Newsroom

Published 26th Nov 2010, 13:30 BST

Updated 26th Nov 2010, 13:30 BST

Established apple and pear trees do not need regular pruning to provide a good crop. Just cut back by a half any new shoots that have grown this summer and remove all dead, diseased and crossing branches.

If your fruit trees are growing in the lawn it will pay dividends to remove the grass in a circle the size of the leaf canopy. This will give you the ability to dig in some slow-release plant food.

Nutrients will be released when the soil warms up and will continue to feed your fruit tree steadily through the six months of the growing season.

If you have a grape vine, it is vital to prune it back in mid-winter before the sap starts to rise or it will 'bleed' copiously.

Cut back the leader stem to ripened wood and each lateral stem to two buds.

In spring, when the new growth is showing flowers, allow two or three bunches per lateral, but trim back the growth tot wo buds beyond the last bunch.

YP MAG 27/11/10

Jobs