A winter cold snap, late frosts and hail have damaged some of our fruit crops this year. However, some of the following tips apply to trees or vines even if they won’t have fruit.
* Remove some fruit from heavily loaded apples and peaches (if the flower buds weren’t killed by frost) to improve fruit size and prevent limbs from breaking. Apples and peaches should be space about every 6 to 8. Note that is an average spacing. Two fruit can be closer together if the average is correct.
* Remove sucker growth from the base of fruit trees and grape vines.
* Remove water sprout growth from fruit trees. Water sprouts grow straight up from existing branches.
* "Comb" new growth on grape vines so these new shoots hang down for greater exposure to sunlight.
* Continue disease and insect control to prevent fruit damage. (Ward Upham)
* Remove some fruit from heavily loaded apples and peaches (if the flower buds weren’t killed by frost) to improve fruit size and prevent limbs from breaking. Apples and peaches should be space about every 6 to 8. Note that is an average spacing. Two fruit can be closer together if the average is correct.
* Remove sucker growth from the base of fruit trees and grape vines.
* Remove water sprout growth from fruit trees. Water sprouts grow straight up from existing branches.
* "Comb" new growth on grape vines so these new shoots hang down for greater exposure to sunlight.
* Continue disease and insect control to prevent fruit damage. (Ward Upham)
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