One of the most important tasks this month, is to check in on newly planted fruit trees. Check the soil beneath the mulch, and if its dry give it a lovely slow watering. Slow is best so the water soaks in, rather than running off. Top up the mulch if its thinning out. Simply lay card or newspaper on top of the grass/ weeds before dolloping on whatever mulch you have to hand. For deciduous fruit trees, lean more into dry/ woody products than greenery. Avocados and citrus appreciate a bit more green stuff in the brew.
Let the grass be long!
Pause before you rush in and clearfell all the grass/ weeds surrounding young trees. Long grasses provide a protective, useful canopy through hot months and an engaged network below the soil. Be sure trees are watered and well mulched at their base, then leave the long grass protection.
Summer prune espalier
Trim your espaliers as they shoot away. This quick summer prune keeps things fruitful. Go along each branch and reduce long upward shoots back to 2 – 3 buds. Here’s how to summer prune espalier.
Bird protection
Slinging birdnet over your fruit trees is the simplest, and most efficient way to protect your fruit from the birds. Good quality net is a worthy investment. For long lasting fabric that you can re-use for years to come, buy direct from the industry. Check out Redpath, Cosio Industries, Permathene, Advanced Landscape Supplies or who ever your local supplier is.
12m wide net is my fav size. One piece will cover the whole tree with enough slack to keep the trees nicely spread rather than scrunched up, and big nets are way easier to put on.
You don’t need a net for every single tree, just enough to cover the ones that are ripe at the same time. 3 or 4 usually is plenty. It’s a bit of a knack putting birdnet on, a source of marital tension that I can ease – find all my tips here.
Pluck foliage from fruiting vines
Snap excess foliage off grapevines and kiwifruits to bring light and air to ripening bunches of fruit. Extra airflow is especially important if they are in a greenhouse or on a porch, and extra light, if you live somewhere cool. Don’t go too hard, just enough.
Harvest plums
There’s a small window when fruit is ripe for the picking. With a plum, I reckon its just before it hits the ground. Pick your plums when the skin has that gorgeous dusky bloom on it and the slightest touch knocks them from the branch. I cup the fruit in my hand and wiggle my fingers – if they drop in my hand they’re perfectly ripe. Dare I say it: its more like fondling than picking. Here are all my plum harvest + storage tips.
A few extra fruity bits
- Feed citrus – an important feed this, especially for young trees. Eschew artificial fert and source direct from mother nature! While you are at, thin fruits – completely removing any that have set on young trees.
- Pluck fruits off 1 or 2 year old Avocado trees. It takes alot of carbs to produce flowers and new leaf buds – a big ask for a little tree. At the same time give it a feed. Let your young tree put its mojo into shoots and roots instead of fruits.
- Trim off strawberry runners – the shoots that stretch out from the mama plant, to keep your strawberry plants energised. You can of course pot these up and get new plants growing for next year.