So far, January has been unseasonably warm and pruning has progressed at a good pace. Not near finished but a good start and on we go, moving forward through the orchards.
It is an understatement to say that fruit tree pruning is a tough job. Probably, it is the least favorite of the all the work that we do in the orchard. Tough job or not, it is vitally important. The amount of pruning done to each tree is determined by the what happened the previous season. Dry, drought like conditions of the previous summer and the amount of apples produced and harvested directly impact the amount of growth on the fruit trees. Besides trimming the broken and dead branches, pruning is necessary to reduce the amount of “suckers” that each tree produces. Wet summers and falls with few apples produce more “suckers” than in dry summers and heavy fruit crops. Fruit trees need to be thinned out and not look like shrubs or bushes.
Pruning also provides some insight of what to expect in the coming year. The short, sturdy fruiting spurs on the dormant limbs are where the flowers will open in the spring. This is where the potential fruit crop for the coming year will develop. It is important to take care and leave these “buds”unharmed. We find fruit buds for the coming year look promising at this point.
Besides pruning, this time of year is good for meetings, conferences and training workshops. We try to attend local conferences to network and get new ideas on marketing, production, food safety and good agricultural practices. There is an abundance of information available and everyone can learn something new, interesting and truly beneficial by attendance at any of the programs sponsored by the local extension services, county agencies or farm organizations. Our local Food and Growers’ Association will be sponsoring a workshop on February 1st and it is one of the many presentations that we make an effort to attend. Master Gardeners’ Seminars are another example of hands-on learning.