To Prune or not to Prune
When to prune: summer vs winter
Fruit trees can be pruned both in summer and winter. Winter pruning is generally best done in July through August, and should be done before the buds begin to swell too much.
Summer pruning happens after the tree has finished fruiting (so depending on the variety this may actually be early autumn), and there are a few advantages over winter pruning.
Less chance of disease or infection
Reduces the vigour of any regrowth
It's easier to find a nice day (Auckland's winter isn't best known for sunny, dry days).
However, winter pruning is definitely easier to do. The bare branches make it easier to see what's happening. And as long as you're careful and choose a good day, disease and infections aren't that likely.
In general, I'd recommend pruning in winter for structure, and in summer to help control the size and to trim out any damages, dead or diseased branches. Pruning in summer is also generally recommended for stonefruit (peaches, plums and apricots). However, even with stonefruit I'd still try and get the initial shape right immediately after planting as this tends to help the plant grow in the right shape from the get go.
What you'll need:
Secateurs
Loppers
Pruning Saw
Pruning Paste/Paint
Methylated Spirits- Avoid spreading diseases by sterilising blades with meths between each cut. I put mine in a little sprayer to make it easier to apply.
Other useful items:
Pole Tree Pruner (allows you to prune high up branches without a ladder)
A sturdy A-frame ladder (If you do need a ladder, be careful as it can be dangerous).
Sharp penknife or Stanley Knife.
Note: All these tools should be sharp to ensure that your cuts are nice and neat. If they aren't and you need help sharpening you can drop your tools in to your nearest Kings Plant Barn and make use of our sharpening service.
Tips for getting started
Prune on a dry day - if the trees are wet this increases your chance of spreading disease.
Know what shape you are aiming for when pruning. Generally speaking, prune and train plum and peach trees into an open-vase shape, and apples and pears into a central leader. Though there are a few other options, including modified central leaders, espaliers, and cordons that are better in some situations..
Get the shape right early. If you get the shape right early you'll make it much easier for your future self.
With the possible exception of the first year, where pruning hard can help establish a good shape, it's generally best to avoid pruning back by more than a 1/3.
More information on: www.kings.co.nz...
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.2% Yes
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50% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Rubbish bins
I posted a message about the disappearing rubbish bins in Whangarei a week or so ago (but I limited the area). However, I’ll leave this open to a wider area this time. Apparently this is not just limited to Whangarei. However, I went to the Whangarei District Council website, and sent a general enquiry email as to why this was happening. About a week later, I did get a phone call back. I had mentioned two particular bins that had been removed. The man I spoke with was not aware they had been removed! What I found out is that the rubbish bins are emptied by an outside contractor, not city workers. They come and say they find maybe a single coffee cup in a bin and think the bin doesn’t need to be there, so THEY remove the bin! The more I thought about this, the more I thought this is pure laziness - the more bins removed, the less work that has to be done. How much effort does it take to look in a bin and see the liner does not need to be changed? Where one bin has been removed, there is now rubbish in it’s place. I noticed the bins at a couple of bus stops have also been removed, and there is rubbish on the ground - exactly where the bins used to be! I have been told that one of the bins I emailed about will be replaced. And I will follow up on that if it isn’t back in place in two weeks. (This outside contractor is also supposed to be picking up rubbish twice a week along the Kamo shared pathway as well!)
So - if you noticed bins are missing and they need to be put back, send an email to WDC and tell them the location and that there is rubbish there and the bin needs to be replaced! Rate payers are paying for this service, no doubt.
Here's Tuesday's teaser!
I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens; and often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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