Care of fruit trees

Feeding

Apply Growmore fertiliser once a year in autumn and winter. Sprinkle a couple of handfuls around the base of each plant, about a metre out from the central stem. More on Growmore
From March through to September, feed monthly with liquid tomato food using a watering can. Liquid tomato food, rich in potash, helps with fruiting and flowering. Benefits of liquid tomato food

Soil Treatment

On acid or very acid soil, add a couple of handfuls of garden lime in winter to sweeten the soil. Lime will naturally wash into the soil over winter and create a higher soil pH.

Pest Control

Perform winter wash using Vitax winter wash to kill overwintering aphids and their eggs. It has to be applied when the leaves have dropped off the tree for winter. Winter pest control for fruit trees
Apply grease bands around the tree stem to prevent pests from crawling up into the tree. Using grease bands on fruit trees
Sow calendula seed around the base of the fruit trees as a companion planting; it deters aphids and attracts beneficial insects. Companion planting with calendula
Hang codling moth pheromone traps in the tree to prevent codling moths from laying grubs in the fruit. Using pheromone traps

Pruning

Conduct general pruning in autumn and winter, avoiding frosty days. Aim to create a framework of fruiting buds or spurs, which produce flowers and fruit annually.
You can identify fruiting buds and spurs by stubby shoots with rings around them. Identifying fruiting buds
Carry out summer pruning in mid-June to July to produce more fruiting stems or remove them, promoting more fruiting stems and open plants.

General Fruit Tree Care Additional Notes

As fruit sets in spring and flowers fade, ensure regular watering, especially in dry conditions, to prevent fruit drop. Water each tree with a couple of watering cans full of water during dry spells through the spring.
Fruit trees benefit from cross-pollination, especially in urban areas where local insects facilitate this process. However, with pear trees, they rely on cross-pollination to produce fruit; ideally, grow multiple pear trees in the same garden for effective pollination. Cross-pollination for pear trees