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If this week had a theme it would be pruning! I finished the rest of my pruning that needed to be done before spring. I pruned:
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Blackberries
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Raspberries
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Apple Trees
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Rose Bushes
I am confident in my pruning skills in everything except the apple trees. They still have me scratching my head a bit. I really love the books The Apple Grower by Michael Phillips and The Holistic Orchard. Both have really great guides for pruning that have helped.
Michael Phillips says to keep pruning a minimum the first few years so you can get your tree to fruiting faster. Also to make sure you have the proper crotch angle for the limbs. Most of my branches are right on target with the correct angle but I’ll definitely have to spread out a few. I’m going to have Cameron make me some limb spreaders to use.
You may notice the plants around the base of my apple trees. I have garlic chives, which are dormant right now, and daffodils. This is my attempt at some permaculture practices. I really need to get some comfrey under my trees! Comfrey has a deep root system which can tap into nutrients and bring them to your tree. It can also act as a living mulch.
No new seeds this week.
I’ve been letting my chickens in to my garden a lot lately and they are doing amazing at prepping the space for me. I had a lot of chickweed in my paths and they have removed the majority. Two weeks left before the first of my seeds go in the garden and then I’ll have to keep them in a run in the garden or kick them out entirely 🙂
