Gardening with Charlie – Pruning Fruit Trees

While it’s easy this time of year to just daydream about next year’s garden, there are some chores to be done. Late winter is the perfect time for one of my favorite garden tasks: pruning fruit trees.

Most gardeners are nervous about making cuts to their precious trees, and, consequently, they prune only a little, and poorly, or not at all. However, pruning isn’t rocket science. You just need to follow some basic principles and get out there and start cutting.

Pruning New and Old Trees
When pruning young trees, the goal is to create a strong branch structure and proper angles for future growth. Prune to create three to five branches that have a 45- to 60-degree angle from the main trunk. These branches should ideally be evenly arranged around the trunk and at least 2 to 3 feet off the ground. You can spread the branches when they’re young to grow at the right angle. Hang fishing weights with nylon wire on the branches for one growing season, or use wooden “spreaders” to push the branches apart to create the optimal angle.

For established trees, always remove dead, diseased, broken and competing branches back to the trunk or a main branch first. For a neglected tree, try not to prune more than 25 percent of the tree in any given year. Too much pruning can cause lots of sucker growth that year. The exception would be a very old tree that needs to be stimulated to put out new growth. The goal is to have large diameter limbs near the bottom of the tree and smaller ones at the top. Don’t prune limbs flush to the trunk or main branches. Leave the branch collar (raised area near the trunk or main branch) intact so the branch can quickly heal and protect the wound.

Basic Pruning Cuts
Keep these basic tips in mind:

Use sharp pruning shears for any cuts on branches smaller than 1/2 inch in diameter. Use loppers or a pruning saw for larger diameter wood.
Cut thin diameter branches 1/4 inch above a bud that is facing in a direction you want the new branch to grow. Make the cut on an angle to shed water and promote faster healing.
Horizontal branches produce more fruit than vertical ones. Prune vertical branches back to a main stem or trunk.
Prune moderately every year to keep the tree healthy and fruiting consistently. The tendency of some fruit trees to bear in alternate years can be caused by insufficient pruning.

For more tips and garden information visit www.garden.org.

Gardening with Charlie – Growing Food Indoors

While it might be cold and blustery outside, there are a number of edible plants you can grow indoors. Some of my favorites are herbs. Growing herbs indoors successfully is all about selecting the right varieties and having the right conditions to grow them.

Here are some tips for growing herbs inside in winter.

Bringing Herbs Indoors
Window boxes filled with rosemary and parsley can be moved inside before freezing weather. Some of my favorites to grow this way are parsley, rosemary, and chives. There are a few things to keep in mind:

Don’t worry about a few dropped leaves. Light levels in a house, even in a sunny window, are much lower than outside. Older, larger leaves will drop off and smaller, low-light-efficient leaves should form in their place.
Cut back on watering and fertilizing mature plants. They don’t need as much moisture or nutrients inside as they do outdoors.

Indoor herbs can be decorative as well as functional. Why not train a rosemary plant on a topiary frame for a whimsical look?

Starting New Herbs
Although a sunny window looks bright in winter, the available light can be only 1/10th of what’s needed for plants to grow properly. That’s why it’s best to grow herbs under grow lights. Select full-spectrum lights and leave them on for 12 to 14 hours a day. Keep the tops of the herbs close to the bulbs and the plants should thrive.

Grow seedlings in 3- to 4-inch-diameter pots and use only sterilized potting soil mixes that are light and airy. Many culinary herbs require well-draining soils, so the lighter the soil the better.

Supplement the potting soil with a liquid fertilizer when watering. Use a half-strength formulation to encourage new growth. Water plants less often but more thoroughly, and only when the soil is actually dry to the touch. Add water until it drains from the bottom of the pot. Keep the air temperature on the cool side (60° to 65° F) for the best growth.

Varieties to Try
These herb varieties have compact growing habits and pack a flavorful punch.

English mint (Mentha spicata) - Perhaps the best-behaved spearmint variety.

Spicy Globe basil (Ocimum basilicum minimum) - Dense, compact form of basil, 8- to 10-inches tall. The leaves are smaller than regular basil, but taste and smell great.

Blue Boy rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) - More compact and diminutive than standard rosemary, reaching a height of just 24 inches. Flowers freely and has excellent flavor.

Dwarf Garden sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Compacta’) - Smaller leaves and more compact than regular sage, growing only 10 inches high.

For more tips and garden information visit www.garden.org.