Sometimes in winter……..

Busy year in the orchard and nursery. This class area held a handful of class sessions on fruit trees and pruning ornamentals. The trees displayed good growth and development.  While the vegetative growth and blooming were strong, fruit set and ripening faced severe challenges.  Crop production lacked swelling and ripening, many succumbing to varmint consumption.  For hygiene purposes, any debris on the ground was thoroughly removed.

Now with these activities complete, its time for winter preparation.  There has been installed a low deer barricade, to deter entrance to orchard and pruning area. To finish off the maintenance year is a liquid copper application for fungal reduction and prevention. This winter’s fig protection is cutting back branches, a healthy covering of mulch, and a tarpaulin tent. That is the blue item in the photo. There are a few types of trunk protection in use. There are sliced corrugated 8”tubes, pvc wraps and plastic mesh sleeves.  The primary goal is to protect the trunks from varmint damage. The pvc wraps are visible in the photo.

These measures of addressing evident and anticipated challenges are constant facet of landscape development. Observing the ongoing challenges and taking steps to reduce the negative consequences is the crux to maintaining a healthy beneficial landscape.  To see how this year’s efforts play out, please join us during the summer workshop series ( Growing Fruit Trees) with your questions.  Until then, enjoy the trees.

Author and Picture Credit Craig Hotchkiss, RITree Project Coordinator