Complete winter pruning

In your fruit garden in February

At last spring is on the horizon. The days are getting longer; making gardeners restless and wanting to 'get going' in the garden in general, but don't overlook the fruit garden. Finish off any winter pruning before the end of February (or before buds burst) and any late planting of bare root trees, canes and bushes.

For pruning techniques see a good book, such as the RHS Pruning and Training by Christopher Brickell.

For a general and up-to-date guide to fruit, choose the Green Essentials 'Grow Fruit'.

What to do in your fruit garden

Top Fruit

Apple James Grieve –
a suitable apple
for a family tree
• Plant a Family Fruit Tree. If your garden is on the small side, you may only have space for a single tree so growing a family tree could be an option. Family trees have three varieties grafted on the same rootstock, making cross pollination a certainty and increasing the variety of fruit you can grow.
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet on Fruit tree/bush suppliers, for a list of nurseries
• Check that newly planted fruit bushes and trees have not been lifted by frost. When the soil freezes the water in it expands. This can have the detrimental effect of loosening the plant's grip on the soil, causing the plant to be rocked by the wind, thus exposing and damaging the roots. Re-firm bushes and trees after the ground has thawed.
• 
  Protect wall-trained peach
  & nectarine from rain
  
  
  Peach leaf curl
• Protect blossom on wall-trained trees by draping with hessian, double-thickness netting or equivalent when frost is expected. Hand pollinate if flowering is early and insects are scarce.
• Prune cobnuts and filberts provided the catkins are fully open and releasing pollen, otherwise wait until March.
• Protect wall-trained peach, nectarine and apricot trees from the rain to reduce the risk of peach leaf curl disease. Any protection needs to be in place from before bud burst and until the leaves have appeared. The cover should be open at the sides to allow access to pollinating insects. Hand pollination may be necessary to ensure fruiting.

Soft Fruit

• 
  Terracotta rhubarb forcing pots
• Rhubarb is often thought of as a fruit but it is technically a vegetable as it is a herbaceous plant grown for its edible stems. However you want to look at it forcing rhubarb for tender young stems can be done in the spring. Clear away all dead foliage from the crown and then cover with an old dustbin or large pot. If possible surround the forcer with fresh manure. The heat generated from the manure as it rots will force the rhubarb even quicker.
• Plant bare rooted fruit trees and bushes. This is a good month to do this as long as the ground is not frozen.
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet on Planting fruit trees & bushes, for more information
• 
  Dream of fruit to come
• Tip prune summer-fruiting raspberries. If not already done, cut down newly planted canes to 22-30cm (9-13 in). If raspberry beetle or raspberry midge has been a problem, fork gently around raspberry canes to expose overwintering larvae of these pests to birds.
• Prune established autumn-fruiting raspberries. Cut all canes back to soil level. Autumn raspberries bear fruit on new canes that will start to grow in a few weeks time.
• If you have not done so already untie cordon trained grapevines before they come into growth. Allow the rod to almost touch the ground, this allows buds to form on the lower spurs, when buds begin to grow, tie back into position.
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet on Organic vine cultivation for more information
• 
  Cover strawberries
  for an early crop
  
  
  Hand pollinate when
  insects are scarce
• Cover outside strawberries for an early crop with polythene tunnels or glass cloches early in the month. Remember to ventilate on warm days, especially around flowering time and ensure that pollinating insects can get access, replacing covers at night. If there are not many pollinating insects about due to cold weather, you may have to hand pollinate with a small brush.

Under Cover

• Re-pot or top dress citrus trees. They will be starting to show some new growth now so re-pot those that are outgrowing their pots and for those larger specimens just top-dress any larger, more mature plants.
• Strawberries that have been inside all winter will need to go outside as they only flower after exposure to cold weather. Strawberries that have been outdoors all winter can be brought inside to force them to flower and fruit for an early crop. Plants covered with cloches outside now will provide a succession of fruit following on from an indoor crop being forced.

Pest Watch

Top Fruit:

• Check grease bands are still in place and sticky, on stakes (if used) as well as trees.
• Hoe under fruit tree canopy, if possible, to expose pests to predators.
• Check stored fruit and remove any that shows signs of rotting. Leave rotten fruit out for wildlife and/or birds – this will be a welcome addition to their diet.
• Check plums, damsons and gages for signs of the plum leaf-curling aphid. This tiny green aphid can hatch as early as mid-January. If this pest has been a problem in the past, spray now with insecticidal soap if you see any signs of it.
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet on Aphids for more information.
• Powdery mildew: Check apple, apricot, cherry, plum, gooseberry, blackcurrant, peach, grapes, strawberry, raspberry and blackberries for this disease. Typical symptoms are a discrete off-white patches appearing on the leaves, and often the stems and buds.
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet on Powdery Mildew for more information.
• When pruning fruit trees, remove all dead wood and any mummified fruit still remaining on the tree from last year. Take this opportunity to check the tree over for signs of canker.
  Garden Organic members can see our various factsheets on fruit tree management in the members area for more information.

Soft Fruit

• Enjoy the challenge of growing melons. An early sowing now will give melons a long season of growth and ripening. A temperature of over 21°C is required for germination. Once the plants are raised they can be grown in a greenhouse without heat or in a good summer, planted outdoors.
  Visit www.OrganicCatalogue.com for a selection of melon seeds.
• Soft fruit bush buds may need protecting from birds, particularly bullfinches – cover with netting where appropriate. Ensure all nets are held taught over bushes to avoid birds getting caught up in them.
• Check blackcurrant buds for signs of big bud mite infestation
  Garden Organic members can see our factsheet Blackcurrant pests and diseases for more information

Wildlife Watch

• Encourage birds (especially blue tits) into garden by putting up nest boxes. They will feed on caterpillars and other pests.

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