POP Pruning Guide: Fruit Trees
Pruning is the regulation of plant growth and productivity through branch removal and bud manipulation. Good pruning can help fruit trees become more resistant to pests… Read More
Category Archives: Orchard Care
Capturing and Conserving Water with Stormwater Catchments and Edible Rain Gardens
Volunteers plant water-loving perennials in the rain garden at new Lea Elementary partner orchard (above) In areas where runoff rainwater or overflow is a concern… Read More
Partnering with Stropharia: Integrating Beneficial and Edible Mushrooms into a Forest Garden Design
If you’ve ever had the urge to dig down a few inches into a pile of woodchips or a sheet-mulched forest garden, you may have noticed… Read More
Autumn Composting in Orchards
Compost Benefits Why put compost in your orchard? The benefits are many. Adding compost will add organic matter to your soil, and thereby feed your… Read More
Poultry in Orchards
The permaculture chicken niche – http://permaculturenews.org/2013/05/12/managing-the-working-chicken-video/ Looking for an organic method of reducing insect pests in your orchard? You might want to consider poultry! There are… Read More
How to Identify, Prevent, and Treat Apple Scab
Distorting leaves and damaging fruit, apple scab (caused by the fungus Venturia inacqualis) is one of the most common and destructive orchard diseases. Apple scab… Read More
Soil-Building and Nutrient-Accumulating Plants
Red Clover (L) and Comfrey (R) Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive and fruitful orchard. When designing an orchard forest garden like many… Read More
Black Rot of Apples and Other Pome Fruits
Black rot is a disease caused by the fungus, Botryosphaeria obtusa, which can attack the fruit, leaves, and bark of any tree in the pomaceous… Read More
Emergency Pruning for Fruit Trees
Although the primary orchard pruning season in our climate is winter while trees are dormant, certain conditions may necessitate pruning any time of year. It is… Read More