Caring for fruit trees

Fruit trees need water to do well, so your first concern is not to let a new tree get so dry that it starts to wilt. In general, a deep watering once a week will be more beneficial than a sprinkle every few days. Mature trees need about an inch of rain a week, so watering is important in drier seasons. Watering is particularly crucial during the period of fruit expansion, usually in the 3-4 weeks prior to harvest, or fruit will be small, hard and deformed. Mulching is a popular technique to conserve water and control weeds. Several different kinds of mulch are suitable, including straw, bark chips, hay and gravel. Leaves and grass clippings will also work, although they will tend to mat down heavily around the base of the tree and may prevent water from reaching the soil.

Once fruit is set you need to:

  1. Support fruit-laden branches with wood props to prevent breakage.
  2. Remove any diseased or insect-damaged fruit.
  3. Make sure trees don't dry out, but don't over-water either. Too much water has a negative impact on flavour.
  4. Clean up trees that have already been picked, raking up anything on the ground and picking fruit left in the tree. Left-over fruit can harbour insects and disease as well as giving you a huge risk of wasp stings!
  5. Remove wayward growth and reduce the size of trees that have grown too big. Summer pruning is an excellent way to control the size of fruit trees.

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