Fruit Tree Mechanical Aids
Posted on February 26, 2009, by admin, under Gardening.
When it comes to the question of mechanical aids, the door is thrown wide open for the purchase of dozens of machines whose makers claim that they will do this or that. In the small garden, of course, the great bulk of the work will be done by hand.
It must be remembered that varieties are always a matter of opinion. One man prefers a hard crisp variety and another a soft mealy type. It is always better to get the trees planted in the autumn or early winter. This gives the root the chance of getting established before the spring. It is possible to plant, however, at any time during the dormant period, say up to the end of February. The compost fruit grower, however, should plant about early to midNovember-while the soil is still warm and as soon as all the leaves have fallen.
It is obviously better to plant a very young tree and allow it to become established in the place where it is to grow and crop. The amateur seems always to want an old tree because he thinks it will crop quicker.
An old tree, however, has undoubtedly been stunted in the nursery where it has never had a chance. The compost fruit grower will buy the trees for bushes, pillars, spindles and cordons two years old; half-standard and standard trees three years old; and trained espaliers at four years of age.
Some, like Cornish Gilliflower, Worcester Pearmain, and St. Edmund’s Russet, produce fruit buds on the tips of laterals and when these are cut hard back, as in normal forms of pruning, the fruit buds are removed.
The great advantage of the Clifford is that one can attach behind it a spraying machine with a 30-gallon tank and thus with two good lances, the trees can be sprayed in a minimum of time. The Clifford moves forward with the tank; it needs one person to guide it with, say, two women operating the spray lances and so circling the trees.
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