With six days of very enjoyable eating, drinking and socialising behind us, it was good to get outside today. Though still mild and bright, a stiff wind and scudding grey clouds gave a clear sense that it wouldn’t last, and it didn’t. But there was enough time for a walk to the river and to make a start on the fruit tree pruning.

Last January, before we moved in, I persuaded the former owners to let me bring in Derek James, a local fruit expert, to help prune the fruit trees. The mix of apple, pear and plum trees were all planted about 10 years ago and most are quite mis-shapen, having been purchased as a job lot and then allowed to go their own way. Most have some canker. There’s not much we can do about their fundamental shapes, but we should be able to improve them a bit over time. I want a balance of fruit, shape and flower so last year Derek guided us through a little rejuvenation, and otherwise pruned for fruit (laterals back to 1 or 2 buds for spurs, new leader growth halved or more). I think it’s the right approach for this year as well.

I’m going to post before and after pictures of some of the trees as a record for me for the future, so I’m sorry if this posting gets a bit boring.

This small tree is a Spartan apple – lovely dark red, crisp fruit and a great keeper. It has thrown up a few water shoots in the centre, but otherwise just needs pruning for fruit, and a bit of canker taken out. It’s not obvious from the photo, but the tree is lopsided with no branches on the other side. I’ve left a possible young branch to fill the gap, but it needs training outwards really.

This William’s-style pear tree produced a few gorgeous fruit last year which the wasps got to before me. I’ve decided to leave it alone, except for a bit of a tidy up of crossing and misplaced branches to see if it fruits a bit better

This is another Spartan and a very good fruiter, but again a very odd shape. Pete shortened some of the branches earlier in the summer to keep them clear of other trees, which partly accounts for the stubby look. There are a couple of horizontal branches near the top which need to come off, but other than that it’s a fruit prune and tidy up for this one.

My two hour pruning spell was brought to an abrupt halt by a the sudden arrival of an icy downpour. But it does feel good to have made a start on this deeply enjoyable annual ritual.

December 29, 2007