Growing Fruit Trees
Grow fruit trees in a sunny and sheltered position, and make sure the site has good quality and well-drained soil. Digging in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost will improve your soil. Make sure you allow enough room for your tree to grow in future years.
Dig a generous sized hole at least a third wider than the roots. Hammer in a stake before inserting the tree into the hole to avoid damaging the roots. Spreading the roots in the hole, making sure the tree is at the same level that it was planted in the nursery (the soil mark on the stem should be obvious). Secure the tree to the stake with a tree tie, making sure that the tree does not rub on the stake. Back fill the remaining soil around the roots and gently firm the soil in with the sole of your shoe.
Water your fruit tree thoroughly after planting and ensure that the tree is kept well-watered during its first year until established. A nutrient supplement or balanced fertiliser will help promote healthy growth. Check tree ties regularly and loosen them if necessary, to prevent rubbing on the stem. The stake can be removed after two years.
When growing fruit trees in pots, use a large container and soil-based potting compost such as John Innes No. 3. Containerised plants will need more frequent watering than those grown in the ground.
Fruit Tree Planting Tips
To ensure effective watering, insert a piece of plastic pipe with holes drilled in the sides, reaching from the base of the roots to just above the soil level. This should be put in place at the time of planting the tree to channel water to where it is needed, whilst minimising the problem of surface rooting.
To ensure effective watering, insert a piece of plastic pipe with holes drilled in the sides, reaching from the base of the roots to just above the soil level. This should be put in place at the time of planting the tree to channel water to where it is needed, whilst minimising the problem of surface rooting.
Pruning Fruit Trees
The aim of pruning a fruit tree is to create a well-formed tree, with well-spaced branches which are not overcrowded. This allows plenty of light to enter to ripen the fruit and also encourages good air circulation which reduces the spread of disease. It is important to get this right from the beginning, as it is very difficult to put mistakes right later on.
Apple and pear tree pruning should be carried out in the winter months, between November and February, when the tree is dormant, and it is easier to see the shape of the tree. If your growing cherry trees, plums, apricots or peaches these should be pruned in the summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease.
When growing cordon fruit trees, pruning begins immediately after planting. Remove the central stem to just above the highest side branch. For the following 3 years, prune only the tips of the remaining main branches by one third in winter. Aim for about six well-spaced main branches which will form the frame of your tree, with fruiting sub branches growing off of them. Always cut back to an outward facing bud, to encourage growth away from the centre of the tree. From the fourth year, some sub branches can be pruned out at the union where they join the main branch, to allow new sub branches to take their place.