Food to Grow by Frankie Flowers

Author:Frankie Flowers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2016-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

Fruit Trees

I know I’m going to sound like such a neat freak again, but when it comes to your fruit trees like that backyard apple everyone loves, cleanliness around the base is really important as you head into winter.

Long grass, fallen leaves, and rotting fruit offer an ideal environment for rodents, insects, and disease. Rake up those fallen leaves, pick up the rotting fruit, and add it to the compost pile; burn or put infested leaves in the garbage. Cut long grass at the base of trees to prevent mice from nesting and feeding there. After your tidy-up, water the tree thoroughly and mulch the area.

Along with tidying, you might want to take some steps to protect your trees from pests and the elements. Consider installing plastic tree guards at the base of trees to protect the bark from rodents, rabbits, and deer, which love to snack on it—pests really love young, soft bark.

On top of the mulch you put around the tree, you can sprinkle deer or rabbit repellant if these pests might come by for a meal. Insects like cankerworm and tent caterpillars can be treated in fall for the next season with an application of Tanglefoot, a sticky substance that stops these insects in their tracks on their way up the tree to feed or lay eggs. This product cannot be applied directly on the bark; instead, wrap the trunk with a band of plastic wrap, filling any gaps underneath with cotton balls. Then apply Tanglefoot to the wrap using a stick or disposable spatula.

The elements are rough on fruit trees over the winter, especially young ones. Make sure all your young trees are staked to keep them upright in winter winds. Young trees are also at risk for something called “sunscald.” This is damage done to the bark by the sun and fluctuating temperatures. You can wrap your fruit trees with paper or paint them with watered-down latex paint for protection.

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