Sussex Fruit Trees

10/05/2022

I will be exhibiting at Herstmonceux Castle this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A new garden show, lots of local plant nurseries and some famous guest speakers including Carol Klien. The weather is looking great, it should be a lovely day out.

The Gardeners Gardening Show | Carol Klein | Mark Diacono | Herstmonceux Castle | East Sussex | May 13-15th 2022

27/05/2021

Now it has stopped raining it is a good time to prune young stone fruit trees. Plums, damsons, gages, cherries, peaches and nectarines. Mature specimens will have to wait until July. Using sharp and clean tools, cut to outward facing buds on last years growth, cutting back about a third. Remove any inward facing branches, this will encourage a more spreading tree.

24/05/2021

I have already seen apple, pear and cherry aphids on trees this season. Start checking your trees, a curled leaf or ants are a indication. I have also seen caterpillar damage on leaves. They are quite small as you can see from the one in my hand, this one is a large, they are often smaller. They use their silk to sew leaves together or curl the leaf up so they are protected while they eat leaves. I saw a clients orchard last week that had these caterpillars on every tree. This is a tortrix moth. You can see the damage on the second picture. It is best to uncurl leaf and remove caterpillar.

23/02/2021

This is a good week to carryout your winter pruning of apples and pears. Use sharp tools. On your young tree cut last years growth back by a third to a half to an outward facing bud. You may also want to reomove small inward facing branches.

On your mature trees you will want to remove crossing branches and downward facing braches.

11/10/2020

I will be exhibiting at Firle Garden Show this weekend 16th-18th October 2020. An outdoor show with many exhibitors selling plants, garden features, food and art stalls, and entertainment. A good opportunity to get out of the house and have a lovely day out.

Preparations are well under way for the show at Firle Place, and we look forward to welcoming you in October. We are in the process of updating the website at the moment, but the latest info and exhibitor listings will be online shortly.

18/06/2020

On the previous post, the aphids were Rosy Apple aphids and they were blue/pink in colour. The pictures below show Apple Grass Aphid. You can see the ant which is protecting the aphids from predation. You will also notice that these aphids can be found on the young stems.

10/06/2020

Aphids are really beginning to get busy. On a small tree they can be quite problematic, sucking sap out of the leaves, until tree can not survive. If you see curled leaves you probably have aphids, this is the same for cherry, plum, apple and pear trees. You need to eliminate them, you can use your fingers to squash or make a soapy spray. Please be aware that sprays can not always get into curled leaf to kill aphids, they may also harm other insects like ladybirds which are doing good. Please see the third picture of a black and orange insect, this is a ladybird larvae which is eating aphids.

09/05/2020

Pear leaf blister mite, this is inside the leaf and not something that can easily dealt with. Pick off the worst leaves, some leaves will be showing black spots. Water well to reduce stress of tree. This is unsightly but is not a major problem.

02/05/2020

Now we have had a little rain, you can now mulch around your trees. Mulching keeps the soil moist, reduces weeds and grass competing for resources. The mulch if you use organic matter will be broken down and improve the soil. Place a thick layer of mulch 10cm thick, surrounding the tree. Do not actually put mulch on trunk, this causes problems, Create a doughnut effect, so there is no mulch close to the trunk. You can use any organic matter, bark, garden compost, manure, grass clippings. Just ensure it is well rotted.

19/04/2020

This week looks a settled week with the weather. I suggest you prune your young plum and cherry trees. Prune branches back by a third to an outward facing bud, rub off inward facing buds. Cut out crossing and dead branches.

12/04/2020

Happy Easter

26/03/2020

Sussex Fruit Trees is still supplying and delivering fruit trees. I can take payment by internet banking and deliver to your door. I have all the stakes, ties and rootgrow to make your tree planting a success.