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 to fill it. (Tree’s don’t always share our vision – a bit of coercion is sometimes required)
The top photo is the notch I made a year ago. The photo below shows the branch that sprang from that notch. See how the notch has healed and the bud – galvanised into action by the gathering of hormones – has become a branch. Come spring I’ll tie it down and hey presto – a bonafide fruit producing branch fills the gap.
Such a good trick to have up your pruning sleeve.
If cutting into your tree feels scary, dig deep and find your courage. On my notching instruction you can have faith – it works well. Trust me. Try it out.
If faith or courage are hard to find (some days that’s just how it is), there’s always the pruning demo at my place tomorrow (2nd July). Thing is you will need to email me today (1st July), to book in.
