Do you have a fruit tree? Is it apple? Peach? Plum? Apricot? You have this tree planted outdoors. You watered it all summer. It grew. Now is there anything special you should do for the winter? Yes! Here are a few suggestions from the experts.
Mulch?
Most people want to protect their trees, possibly using mulch. What is the proper thing to do? During the fall, one should remove dead leaves and branches from the tree’s base (this prevents insects); one can put organic mulch around the tree’s base to protect it from small animals like rabbits. This holds in moisture, too. While you are looking at the base and trunk, this is a good time to place protection around the trunk. It can be a soft cloth or hard white plastic. What does this do? It protects the bark from sun scorch.
Water?
It is best to keep watering your fruit trees through fall. As the temperature drops, you can stop.
Pruning
Winter, when the tree is dormant, is best for most pruning. Apricots should be pruned in the fall to prevent disease. Otherwise, trim off the unnecessary branches once the tree is still. Cut off dead or dying branches, broken limbs, and suckers. If the tree was diseased, remove that part during the cold season.
Dormant Oil
Dorman oil is something to use this time of year. It is an oil that smothers small bugs that would otherwise tear up the bark of your tree [1].
While the cold weather is upon us, we ought to take care of those tender plants if we hope to get fruit in the upcoming year. A small amount of time in the winter sun can improve your mood and your tree.
Notes:
- ^ {Winterizing Fruit Trees: Tips On Fruit Tree Care In Winter} (go back ↩)
