GardenLine | Fruit to Grow and Pick | Fall Care Of Fruit Trees: Dont'S And Do'S

DO NOT:

Prune your fruit in the fall. Pruning in the late summer or fall may encourage the tree to continue growing. It must stop growing for some time in order to harden-off before winter. If it does not have this hardening-off period, it will not become come fully winter hardy, and winter injury will occur.

DO:

All major pruning in the spring. Only minor pruning should be done in other seasons.

DO NOT

Water shallowly, or the water may not penetrate down to the root zone.

DO:

Water your trees throughout the growing season whenever Nature fails to do so. In dry times, you should water the trees about once every two weeks. To know that you have watered sufficiently, place a pan or dish under the tree and water until the container accumulates 5-8 cm (2-3 in.) of water. This amount will water the trees deeply down into the root zone, whereas less water will only dampen the soil close to the surface. Make sure that your tree is watered well into mid-October so that the tree goes into the winter with a good moisture supply.

DO NOT:

Fertilize your tree under most circumstances. Most fruit trees in our soils do not require fertilizer. Do not apply fertilizer after July 1. Never fertilize young trees. If fertilized, they will take longer to mature and bear fruit. If fertilized in the fall young trees in particular will lack winter hardiness because they will continue to grow.

DO

Fertilize your fruit trees only if they shows pale leaves and weak growth. If these signs occur, a small amount (1 cup) of a balanced fertilizer (e.g., 16-20-0) for a larger tree will usually help it along. Use less for a smaller tree.

DO NOT

Ignore insect infestions, or you will wind up with no leaves or fruit on your trees.

DO

Control insects. Did you have canker worms on your trees last spring? If you did, fall is the time to get some tanglefoot on that tree to prevent those female moths from going to the top of the tree, where they lay the eggs that hatch into next year's worms. Did you have tent caterpillars on your tree last spring? Watch for their egg bands on the twigs in the fall. Remove any bands, and you will have few or no problems next spring.

DO NOT

Leave your fruit on the tree too long before picking, or they may rot.

DO

Pick pears before mature and allow them to ripen in the house at cool room temperature. Cut into a pear and check the seed colour. Pick pears at the first hint of browning of the seeds. Apples can be picked when each seed is about half brown. Once picked, they can be stored at room temperature for a few days and then used. If you want to store your apples for a longer period, pick them when you notice the first hint of brown in the seeds. Place newly picked apples for storage in the refrigerator and reduce wilting by placing them in a perforated plastic bag.

Plums are tricky, and often fall from the tree just before they are ripe. They should be picked when they are a little on the green side and allowed to ripen at cool room temperatures.

DO NOT

Remove the spurs (little short twigs) when you pick apples. The fruit for subsequent years is produced on these spurs.

DO

Leave the spurs on the tree for next year's growth.

Ward is a staff member with the Department of Horticulture Science. This column is offered as a service by the Extension Division and the Department of Horticulture Science, University of Saskatchewan.

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Sustainable horticultural information, offered free of charge to the public with the support of the University of Saskatchewan Extension Division, the Department of Plant Sciences and the Provincial Government.