For anyone who's researched pruning, you'll notice there's an overwhelming amount of ways to prune a fruit or nut tree.
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So it can become confusing to know which one is the the "right" way.
Over the years I've tried a range of methods and you know what - most of them have worked. My point being, don't freak out if someone tells you you've done it wrong, trees want to grow and, even if you do make a mistake, they'll heal, come back and continue to mature into fruiting beauties.
This video is a prime example of just that ... I pruned my almond tree in the winter and technically I should have held off to prune until summer (that's the recommended season to prune all stone fruit to avoid the risk of a disease called Cytospora canker), however I needed to treat them for rust, which involved spraying a lime sulphar and copper spray on them before spring (same treatment you use for leaf curl on stone fruit).
I also really needed to shape them before they put too much energy into growing into a shape I didn't want.
I do try and stick to the rules as much as possible - but sometimes life just often doesn't work out like that.
But if you have young fruit or nut trees in need of pruning, now is the ideal time to get cutting.
Watch the video to get an idea on how to get started.
Video courtesy of Hannah Moloney and Anton Vikstrom, founders of Good Life Permaculture, a landscape design and education enterprise regenerating land and lifestyles on lutruwita country in Tasmania.
For handy tips on growing your own food, check out Hannah's new book: The Good Life: How to Grow a Better World.
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