Plum Crazy, (are Pips the best?)
Plums have taken over my kitchen, and, quite frankly my life. The combination of having a bit of land to play on and being easily seduced by fruit trees means I now have loads more plums than our...
View ArticleCitrus, Strawberries and new Fruit Trees
Citrus trees are for sale in supermarkets and garden centres. I encourage you to think a little before buying in. Citrus love warmth (tiny wee baby ones more so) therefore it makes no sense to me to...
View ArticleJune in the Vegie Patch and Gardening Smarter (Not harder)
Greetings all, Even though its chilly out, thoughts of hibernation couldn’t be further from my mind! Take away the the intensive gardening and harvesting of spring through autumn, and I’m freed up to...
View ArticleHow To Move Older Fruit Trees
To compensate for the big work that is growing your own, us food gardeners are always seeking efficiencies. Ever reaching for the holy grail that is lots of healthy, productive edibles in less space...
View ArticleGet Ready to Copper!
If you blink you’ll miss it! The early plums are on the move, brewing up another batch of blossom (isnt it the sweetest thing?). It’s a sign for those of you pondering copper sprays to clean out your...
View ArticleBranching Out
I hate a glaring gap, an empty space on a fruit tree where a branch should be … needs to be! Here’s a simple, old school trick to stimulate a bit of branching out. Choose a lovely fat bud in the locale...
View ArticleGrow Your Own Peach Tree
We get a heap of spring rain down here. Spring rain is fabulous for full tanks and not having to water until December, but it sucks for growing peaches. Fungus alert! Leaf curl abounds! Peaches grown...
View ArticleGrowing Great Citrus on the Fringes
A fringe (also called a marginal growing area), refers to an area outside of ideal. Living at the base of the Tararua’s sets us firmly on the fringe for citrus. Head 12km west to Levin and it’s a whole...
View ArticleTesting Apples for Ripeness and Storing the Harvest
This year my 3m x 3m (I keep my trees pruned small), 6 year old Captain Kidd apple tree has given us 40kgs of beautiful apples (approx 266 apples). Last year the harvest was 50kg (about 333 apples)....
View ArticleMake a Frost Shelter for Young Citrus
Not everyone handles cold weather gracefully. A peach, a pear, a plum – they don’t bat an eye, with no foliage on board they breeze through. Citrus, Tamarillo, Avocado – the young ones do it tough in...
View ArticlePondering Pruning and New Fruit Trees
Ponder. “To think about something carefully before reaching a conclusion.” Oh, the difference when we ponder! It’s a game-changing state of mind. And it is my gift to you this May – to send you off for...
View ArticleJune’s Fruit Tree To-Do List: Your Top 5
Such wonderful synchronicity, as the vegie patch slows down, it’s time to be caring for our fruit trees. And here are the five things you really need to be considering in the orchard this June. A...
View ArticleLoving Wrinkles
The joy of having a stash of homegrown apples is experiencing their changing flavour as they age. It’s a revelation in our smooth, shiny world to bite into a wrinkly, no longer firm to the touch apple....
View ArticleFrom a Notch Springs a Branch
This time last year I wrote you about notching, an old fashioned technique that turns a bud into a branch, on a fruit tree. You do this when there’s a gap in the trees framework and you wish a branch...
View ArticleA Beginners Guide to Pruning Fruit Trees by Kath Irvine
This book is for newbie pruners. A simple, little book who’s goal is to cover the basics in plain English and provide a clear sense of direction without the usual lofty, complicated pruning book...
View ArticleOh Brave New World – My Copper Free Orchard
The early plums are bursting out! The bees are in! Mid season plums are on the move! If copper is your thing then get it on as the buds move. Which means right at the beginning while they’re still a...
View ArticlePump Up Your Fruit Production
Today I’m sharing a September task that’ll really up your fruit production. Oh so simple – tie all those branches with vertical tendencies, down. Tying branches down opens your trees for light and air,...
View ArticleThree Steps To Abundance
This pile of chopped up garden debris is getting this spot ready to grow me an orange. It could be any fruit tree and is without a doubt the best beginning for a vegie patch. Stack up a heap of weeds,...
View ArticlePlant Citrus, Prune Tamarillos and Feed your Fruit Trees
October is so tender, so pretty. The plums are in full blossom, and the rest of the orchard is on it’s way. Such a joy to be a fruit gardener! Prevent Pests After our mild winter fungus and pests will...
View ArticleHow To Thin Fruit (And Why You Need To)
For top quality fruit and a better performing tree – thin your fruit this month! Thinning removes the excess to improve the remainder – and it’s a lovely job, so peaceful among the fruit trees (apart...
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